Top 5 best moments of Asia Cup

The next edition of the Asia Cup will start on August 30, to be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tournament was set to be played in Pakistan but India's objection to traveling to the Western neighbors which is why the tournament is shared with the Lankans. Notably, Sri Lanka was meant to host last year's Asia Cup but failed to do so.

Apparently, the island nation was facing violent protests due to the economic slowdown. Not to forget, transportation couldn't be afforded for the teams. This led to the tournament being shifted to the United Arab Emirates. The Lankan Lions ended up winning the tournament. Meanwhile, in this listicle, we will discuss the iconic moments of the Asia Cup's history.

Five iconic moments in Asia Cup history

Pakistan vs Hong Kong in Asia Cup 2008 (Image Credit: Twitter)

1. Hong Kong gives a massive scare to Pakistan

In the only Asia Cup hosted by Pakistan in 2008, Hong Kong gave them a scare in the first-round game in Karachi. After being asked to bowl first, the Red Army reduced the home side to 161/7. However, the likes of Tanvir Ahmed and Fawad Alam scored the fifties and took the team to 288/9. In reply, HK could only score 133, losing the game by 155 runs.   

Asia Cup 2010 game between India and Pakistan (Image Credit: Twitter)

2. India won against Pakistan in almost darkness

This might sound absurd to modern-day viewers but there was a time when the floodlights of the Dambulla venue were poor. A lot of players globally wrote a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket but to no avail. This was the reason why teams were choosing to bat first after winning the toss. Pakistan did the same against India and amassed 267 all-out. In reply, the eventual winners chased down the target with one ball to spare.   

Bangladesh team in Asia Cup 2012 (Image Credit: Twitter)

3. Bangladesh making it to their maiden Asia Cup final

In the 2012 edition, fans saw Bangladesh, a less recognized team in the sub-continent, reach the final of the tournament. After beating the likes of India and Sri Lanka, the Tigers had already won hearts. Even though they failed to win the final against Pakistan, it was sure in the minds of fans and critics that the Tigers were here to compete.     

Shahid Afridi's after hitting match-winning runs against India in 2014 (Image Credit: Twitter)

4. Shahid Afridi's mis-hits take Pakistan home against India

In what was a must-win game for India, they were asked to bat first and were restricted to 245/8. In reply, the Green Brigade was going well at one point (200/4). However, a collapse meant Pakistan might infamously lose another game that could have been in the bag. However, former skipper Shahid Afridi's mis-hits, which still traveled the distance in the last over, helped the team win the game by one wicket.   

Hong Kong vs India in 2018 (Image Credit: Twitter)

5. Hong Kong gives a scare to India this time

10 years after their giving a scare to Pakistan, it was time for India to taste the same. Batting first, the Men In Blue were going well with Shikhar Dhawan scoring a hundred. However, the middle and lower-order collapse meant the team was restricted to 285/7. The worst part was, HK openers, Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath put together 174 runs for the first wicket. Even though the Indian bowlers rescued the team, it wasn't a good sign for the team moving forward even though they won the tournament.