Top 5 Matches in ODI Asia Cups

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will kick off on August 30. For the first time since 2008, the tournament is played in Pakistan although they were stripped of hosting rights partially. Apparently, India's inability to travel to their neighboring countries meant Sri Lanka was chosen as a neutral venue. On the other hand, the tournament is played in Sri Lanka after 2010.

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Last year, they were the hosts but the tournament was shifted to the UAE due to unforeseen circumstances. Meanwhile, the upcoming edition will once again see the Asian Giants locking horns. Only twice (2016 and 2022), the tournament is played in T20 format. Most of the editions are played in the ODI format. Meanwhile, in this listicle, let's have a look at the top five games in ODI Asia Cups.

Cricket History: Top 5 Unforgettable ODI Asia Cup Matches

1. Sri Lanka vs Pakistan

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In the opening game of the 1997 edition, home side, Sri Lanka locked horns with Pakistan. After being asked to bat first, the Lankan Lions were going well with 160/3 on the board. However, Pakistani bowlers came back and restricted the home team to 239 all-out. In reply, the Green Brigade had no answer to Sanath Jayasuriya's four-wicket haul and were restricted to 224/9, losing the game by 15 runs.   

2. Sri Lanka vs India

In the summit clash of the 2004 edition, the tow-most successful sides locked horns. The home team, Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first. The Men In Blue, India's collective effort with the ball meant the SL was restricted to 228/9. For the batting side, Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara scored fifties. In reply, despite Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan's best efforts with the bat, India lost by 25 runs.   

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3. India vs Pakistan

In the 2010 edition, the Asian giants locked horns and produced one of the best games in the history of the tournament. Pakistan batted first as the floodlights at the Dambulla were poor at the time. They amassed 267 all-out with Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal scoring fifties. In reply, despite being in almost darkness, India chased down the total with three wickets in hand. Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni scored fifties while Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh took the team home.   

4. Bangladesh vs Pakistan

In what was Bangladesh's maiden final appearance, they locked horns with Pakistan. Bowling first, the Tigers, Bangladesh restricted the opposition for 236/9 thanks to their collective bowling performance. However, Nazimuddin and Nasir Hossain's slow batting meant that the home side lost the game by only two runs in the end.   

5. India vs Hong Kong

Two days after getting hammered by Pakistan, Hong Kong gave India a massive scare. Batting first, the Men In Blue were going well with Shikhar Dhawan scoring a hundred. However, middle and late order collapse meant that the team was restricted to 285/7. In reply, HK openers, Anshuman Rath and Nizakat Khan put together 174 runs for the first wicket. However, Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Kuldeep Yadav taking eight wickets combined helped the team escaping with 26-run win.

Also Read: 5 Indian players who deserved to be in the Asia Cup 2023 squad