List of Asia Cup Winning Captains from 1984 to 2023

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The ACC Men’s Asia Cup is an international cricket tournament held every two years between Asian nations. It alternates between two formats: One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. Established in 1983 with the founding of the Asian Cricket Council, the tournament was designed to foster goodwill among Asian countries.

India currently holds the title, having won the 2023 edition after defeating Sri Lanka in the final. India are also the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having won the title a record eight times, including twice each under the captaincy of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. In this article, check out the Asia Cup winning captains list. 

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History of the Asia Cup

The inaugural edition of the Rothmans Asia Cup took place in 1984 in Sharjah, UAE, which also served as the headquarters of the newly established Asian Cricket Council. The tournament featured a round-robin format with three teams: India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The first match was played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a new ICC member at the time. India emerged as the champions by winning both of their matches, while Sri Lanka finished as runners-up with a single victory over Pakistan. Pakistan, on the other hand, failed to win any of their two games.

India did not participate in the 1986 Asia Cup due to tensions in their cricketing relationship with Sri Lanka. Similarly, Pakistan opted out of the 1990–91 tournament due to political tensions with India, and the 1993 edition was completely cancelled for the same reasons. In 2009, the Asian Cricket Council decided that the Asia Cup would be held every two years.

Following the downsizing of the Asian Cricket Council in 2015, the ICC announced that the Asia Cup would alternate between ODI International and Twenty20 International formats, depending on the format of upcoming global tournaments. As a result, the 2016 edition was played as a T20I tournament for the first time, serving as a warm-up event for the ICC World Twenty20 later that year.

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Asia Cup Winning Indian Captains List  from 1984 to 2023

India, the most successful team in Asia Cup history, has won the tournament eight times. Their first title came in the inaugural edition in 1984 in the UAE, where they defeated Sri Lanka in a three-team competition. India then dominated the late 1980s and early 90s, winning three consecutive titles in 1988, 1990/91, and 1995, with Sri Lanka finishing as runners-up each time.

In 2010, India once again defeated Sri Lanka to claim their fifth title. India’s next victories came against Bangladesh, winning the 2016 T20 Asia Cup by eight wickets and the 2018 ODI Asia Cup by three wickets.

However, India also had its share of setbacks. They withdrew from the 1986 tournament due to strained cricket relations with Sri Lanka, and in 1997, they lost to Sri Lanka, who secured their second title. Between 2000 and 2008, India struggled, finishing as runners-up in 2004 and 2008, and failing to progress beyond the group stage in 2000 and 2012. In 2014, they were again knocked out in the group stage. India’s most recent triumph came in 2023, where they defeated Sri Lanka by ten wickets to secure their eighth Asia Cup title.

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Asia Cup Winning Captains List from 1984 to 2023

Sri Lanka holds the record for participating in the most Asia Cups, having played in all 16 editions. India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have each featured in 15 tournaments. India is the most successful team in Asia Cup history, securing a total of eight titles—seven in the ODI format and one in T20Is. Sri Lanka follows with six titles, while Pakistan has won the tournament twice.

About Recent 2023 Asia Cup 

The 2023 Asia Cup marked the 16th edition of the men’s cricket tournament, played in the ODI format. Officially hosted by Pakistan, the tournament took place from August 30 to September 17, 2023, across two countries—Pakistan and Sri Lanka—making it the first Asia Cup held in multiple nations.

Four matches were hosted in Pakistan, while the remaining nine were played in Sri Lanka. Six teams competed in the tournament. Defending champions Sri Lanka made it to the final but were defeated by India, who clinched their eighth Asia Cup title.

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FAQ’s about Asia Cup Winning Captains

Q) How many times have India won the Asia Cup?

A) India has won the Asia Cup eight times, making it the most successful team in the tournament’s history. India claimed its first title in the inaugural edition of 1984 and has since won in 1988, 1990/91, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018, and the most recent edition in 2023.

Q) Which team won the Asia Cup in 2023?

A) India won the 2023 Asia Cup, securing their eighth title. They defeated Sri Lanka in the final by ten wickets.

Q) How many editions of the Asia Cup have been played so far?

A) As of 2023, 16 editions of the Asia Cup have been held. The tournament has alternated between ODI and T20I formats since 2016, depending on the upcoming international tournament formats.

Q) Which are the most successful teams in Asia Cup history?

A) The most successful teams in Asia Cup history are India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. India leads with a record eight titles. Sri Lanka follows closely with six Asia Cup titles while Pakistan has won the tournament twice. 

Q) Has the Asia Cup ever been co-hosted by multiple countries?

A) Yes, the 2023 Asia Cup was the first to be co-hosted by two countries—Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Due to political and logistical reasons, some matches were held in Pakistan, while the majority were played in Sri Lanka.

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