When it comes to the best cricket team in Asia, Asia Cup winners come into the picture. This international cricket tournament is conducted either in a one-day international (ODI) format (50 overs) or a Twenty20 (T20) international format (20 overs) after a gap of every two years.
Originally established in 1983 along with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) supporting the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Asia Cup became an important part of promoting and developing the sport of Cricket in Asia.
The Asia Cup 2023 tournament was concluded on September 17, 2023. India beat the defending champions Sri Lanka as openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan closed the contest in just 6.1 overs. India bowled out Sri Lanka to its second-lowest ODI total yet, 50.
Asia Cup will be back in 2025, and it will be back in T20I format as the tournament alternates between the two formats every two years.
Keeping all this in mind, we’re providing you with the information on Asia Cup Winners list from 1984 to 2023 along with runner-up teams and final venues.
Asia Cup Winners List From 1984 To 2023
Starting from 1984, after a gap of every two years, a new name is added to the Asia Cup’s Winners list. In 2023, India defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets and successfully secured the name in the winner’s list. Below are the Asia Cup winners since inception till 2023, along best runner-up teams and final venues.
| Year | Asia Cup Winners | Asia Cup Runner-Up Team | Final Venues |
| 1984 | India | Pakistan | Sharjah CA Stadium, UAE |
| 1986 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sinhalese Sports Ground Club, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 1988 | India | Sri Lanka | Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| 1990/91 | India | Sri Lanka | Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India |
| 1995 | India | Sri Lanka | Sharjah CA Stadium, UAE |
| 1997 | Sri Lanka | India | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 2000 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| 2004 | Sri Lanka | India | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 2008 | Sri Lanka | India | National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan |
| 2010 | India | Sri Lanka | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla, Sri Lanka |
| 2012 | Pakistan | Bangladesh | Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh |
| 2014 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh |
| 2016 | India | Bangladesh | Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh |
| 2018 | India | Bangladesh | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, UAE |
| 2022 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, UAE |
| 2023 | India | Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
The 16th edition of the Asia Cup just started on 30 August 2023 and will end on 17 September 2023. The tournament will be in a 50-over ODI tournament format. So, the winners of Asia Cup 2023 are yet to be announced.
Why Asia Cup 2020 Is Missing?
In 2020, Sri Lanka was all set to host the event. But, the world was hit by the COVID-19 epidemic. Everything was shut down. There were a huge number of COVID cases in Sri Lanka, too, which is why it was impossible to conduct the event. But, due to the packed International calendar, ICC moved the 2020 Asia Cup to 2023. This is why the Asia Cup 2020 is missing from the winners list above.
Asia Cup Teams with Maximum Trophies (Country Wise)
The team that has won the maximum Asia Cup trophies is none other than India, followed by Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and so on. India with 8 wins tops the leaderboard. Followed by Sri Lanka with 6 wins and at last Pakistan with only 2 times wins so far.
Check below for full details:
| Asia Cup Winners | Times Won | Year |
| India | 8 times | 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2023 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 times | 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2022 |
| Pakistan | 2 times | 2000, 2012 |
| Bangladesh | 0 | – |
| Afghanistan | 0 | – |
| Nepal | 0 | – |
According to the stats of Asia Cup tournaments, India’s team has been dominating the leaderboard with the maximum number of winnings. Sri Lanka is the biggest rival to India as per previous records. Whereas other countries have equal opportunities.
Teams That Didn’t Win Any Asia Cup Trophy
Out of 15 seasons of Asia Cup tournament, some countries unfortunately never got a chance to win the trophy. Below are the countries that haven’t won any Asia Cup trophies so far.
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Nepal
They played well, but never won the title. This year, they are expected to perform better, and may even stand on the runner-up list if they do not win.
Which Player Achieved Most Runs in the Asia Cup?
Sanath Jayasuriya achieved the most runs in the combined format of the Asia Cup with 1220 runs, and talking about the T20, then Virat Kohli with 429 runs.
| Player | Maximum Runs |
|---|---|
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1220 |
| Virat Kohli | 429 |
Asia Cup Summary
At last, this is the entire summary of the Asia Cup so far including, rank, teams, appearances, titles, and runners-up.
| Rank | Teams | Appearance | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 15 | 8 | 3 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 16 | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 15 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 16 | 0 | 3 |
At first rank, India appears with 15 appearances and 8 times won titles. Whereas, 3 times best runner up of Asia Cup.
At second rank, Sri Lanka comes with 16 appearances and 6 times won titles with, 7 times best runner up of Asia Cup.
In the third rank, Pakistan appears with 15 appearances and 2 times won titles. And talking about the best runner-up position, then it is 3 times.
At fourth rank, Bangladesh has 16 appearances and 0 times the title won so far. But, Bangladesh stood as the best runner-up for 3 times in the Asia Cup.
FAQs
Which team won the most Asia Cup titles?
The most Asia Cup titles were won by India, exactly 8 times in the years 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2023.
What cricket format does Asia Cup follow?
The Asia Cup follows the ODI and T20 formats.
In which countries have the Asia Cup most played till now?
Asia Cup is mostly played in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan till now.
How many teams are participating in the Asia Cup 2023?
A total of six teams are participating in the Asia Cup, and they are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
When is the next Asia Cup 2023 scheduled for?
The next Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled for 2025, as Asia Cup is scheduled for every two years.
Why is the 2023 season of the Asia Cup in the ODI format while the one for the 2025 T20I?
Asia Cup alternates between ODI and T20I formats. Which means if one season is ODI, the next season will be held in T20I format.
