A rewind into India’s triumphant 2023 Asia Cup journey
Team India have been a dominant force when it comes to the Asia Cup. From the inaugural season in 1984 to the last season in 2023, the Indian Cricket Team have performed admirably in the multi-nation tournament. Out of 16 editions, they have won the Asia Cup eight times. Sri Lanka have been a fierce competitor right from the first season itself, having won six titles so far.
India won the inaugural edition held in 1984 after beating Sri Lanka in the final. They couldn’t reach the final in the next edition but went on to win three consecutive titles in 1988, 1990, and 1995. The fifth title came in 2010, followed by two more titles in 2016 and 2018.
How did India fare in the last edition of the Asia Cup ? They were nothing short of outstanding.
India won the 2023 Asia Cup title after thrashing Sri Lanka in the final.
Here’s a rewind into India’s journey in the 2023 Asia Cup:
India were placed in Group A, alongside the likes of Pakistan and Nepal.
India vs Pakistan, Match 3
India's batters didn’t make a great start to their campaign, losing four wickets for just 66 runs. But Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya’s partnership saw a turnaround. A remarkable 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket meant India reached a respectable score of 266 at the end of 50 overs. Hardik top-scored with 87, while Ishan Kishan contributed 82. Pakistan didn’t get the chance to bat as the match was abandoned due to rain. Both teams shared one point each.
India vs Nepal: Match 5
In just a day’s time, India played thier next game against Nepal in Kandy. The latter produced a valiant fight with the bat as they posted a 230-run total in the first innings. The rain once again played spoilsport in the second innings as India were set a revised target of 145 from 23 overs. It proved to be a cakewalk as Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma guided the team home in 20.1 overs.
India made it to the Super Four stage, and the other three teams were Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
India vs Pakistan, Super Four - Match 3
In their first Super Four encounter, India once again met Pakistan in the tournament. Both teams were keen to win that game, but India had the better of their arch-rivals in the end. The Indian batters made a mockery of Pakistan’s bowling unit and made it a one-sided contest. A 121-run partnership between Gill and Rohit Sharma was followed by centuries from Kohli and KL Rahul as India amassed a mammoth 356 in the first innings.
Pakistan, in reply, were bowled out for 128. Kuldeep Yadav ran through Pakistan’s batting unit, picking five 25 in eight overs.
India vs Sri Lanka, Super Four- Match 4
Next up was Sri Lanka. After Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill had put on an 80-run opening partnership, the Sri Lankan spinner spun a web around them. Wickets kept falling in regular intervals as Wellalage and Asalanka claimed nine wickets between them. India were bowled out for 213.
The wicket was helpful for spinners, and Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja made life difficult for Sri Lankan batters in the second innings. Kuldeep Yadav, once again, showcased his brilliance with the ball as the Islanders failed to pick his variation. His four-for, coupled with Ravindra Jadeja’s two wickets, led to Sri Lanka getting bundled out for 172, handing India a comfortable 41-run win in the end.
India vs Bangladesh, Super Four- Match 6
India had sealed their spot for the final and made five changes for this encounter to test their bench strength. It didn’t work in their favour as Bangladesh punched above thier weight to win the match by 6 runs. It was their first win against India in the Asia Cup since 2012.
Batting first, India posted a challenging score of 265 runs in the first innings. Shakib Al Hasaran starred with the bat, smashing 80 off 85. Shubman Gill proved to be the lone warrior in the chase, but his 121-run knock wasn’t enough to guide his team home. India lost the game by just six runs.
India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup Final
India and Sri Lanka were the two finalists of the 2023 Asia Cup. The hosts had only suffered defeat in the tournament, and it came against India. They were expected to put in a tough fight this time around but succumbed to a memorable spell by Mohammed Siraj. Batting first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 runs, courtesy of a sensational spell of 6 for 21 from Mohammed Siraj. India chased it down with 10 wickets in hand.
