The 16th edition of the Asia Cup 2023 was held in Sri Lanka/Pakistan. This tournament is played to decide the superior team in the Asian continent. Notably, the very first edition took place way back in 1983 in the UAE. It was established to increase goodwill between all the Asian teams. This tournament was played in ODI format, but in 2016, it was played in the T20 format for the very first time. India is the Last Asia Cup winner and had defeated Sri Lanka in the Final.
First Asia Cup was held in year 1984 which was won by India by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.
This edition of Asia cup was played in the ODI format due to upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. Sri Lanka was the defending champion of Asia cup and are also the second most successful team in this tournament’s history.
List of Asia Cup Winners 1984 to 2023
Check below the Asia cup winners list of all time.
| Edition | Year | Format | Winner | Runners-up | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1984 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | UAE |
| 2nd | 1986 | ODI | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| 3rd | 1988 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
| 4th | 1990-91 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | India |
| 5th | 1995 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | UAE |
| 6th | 1997 | ODI | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka |
| 7th | 2000 | ODI | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
| 8th | 2004 | ODI | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka |
| 9th | 2008 | ODI | Sri Lanka | India | Pakistan |
| 10th | 2010 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka |
| 11th | 2012 | ODI | Pakistan | Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
| 12th | 2014 | ODI | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| 13th | 2016 | T20 | India | Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
| 14th | 2018 | ODI | India | Bangladesh | UAE |
| 15th | 2022 | T20 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | UAE |
| 16th | 2023 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka | Pakistan/Sri Lanka |
In 2018, UAE was the host and a total of six teams competed in the tournament. It was India who came out victorious and won their 7th title overall. While Bangladesh ended as the runner-up. Prior to that in 2016, India and Bangladesh played the final and it was India who won that match as well.
3. Pakistan won it two times in 2000 and 2012
The Men in Green have won this title twice. They won their first Asia Cup in 2000, beating Sri Lanka in the final in Bangladesh. They won their second title in 2012 against Bangladesh in the final in Bangladesh. Both tournaments were played in the ODI format. Overall, they have won it twice.
Pakistan also ended as runners-up on two occasions. They lost the 1986 Asia Cup final to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Then they lost their second final in the 2014 edition against the same opponent in Bangladesh. Pakistan has played four finals and they have won two and lost two.
2. Sri Lanka won it Six times in 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014 and 2022
Sri Lanka is the second most successful team in the history of the Asia Cup. The Lankan Lions have won this title five times so far in the history of the game. In the inaugural season, they ended up as the runners-up, but in the second edition they won it. Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup title in the 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, and 2014 editions.
On the other hand, not just winning it, they have been the runners-up in this tournament six times. In terms of playing the finals, Sri Lanka is on top. They have played in the finals of the Asia Cup 11 times overall. They ended as the runners-up in 1984, 1988, 1990/91, 1995, 2000, and 2010.
1. India won the Asia Cup seven times in 1984, 1988, 1990–91, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2023
India is currently most successful team in the history of the Asia Cup. The Men in Blue won the inaugural season of the tournament in 1984, beating Sri Lanka in the final in the UAE. Then they made a hat-trick of titles in 1988, 1990/91, and 1995. But after that, it took India 15 years to win this title as they won their next title in 2010, beating Sri Lanka.
And now, they are coming off two back-to-back title wins in 2016 and 2018, both against Bangladesh and now Asia Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka. Apart from winning it, India has also ended as runners-up in 1997, 2004, and 2008.