The Asia Cup began with 4 nations on its inception in 1984. The inaugural edition of the tournament had Bangladesh make its debut on the International stage. Pakistan, India & Sri Lanka remained the other three.
It’s often talked about in popular culture that it was India who fast-tracked Bangladesh into International cricket through the Asia Cup of 1984. Some trace of truth can be excavated out of this as Bangladesh got to appear on such a massive stage even before getting a taste of the International arena.
Brief History
This might just be the encounter closest to David and Goliath. But the much-maligned neighbors have often given their more illustrious counterparts a run for their money.
The statistics also suggest a similar story. The two sides have met each other 14 times in the competition and India lead the head-to-head by a mammoth margin of 13-1.
The gulf of difference between the two teams is clearly evident from the record itself. Although India has always dominated the fixture, the games of late have seen a somewhat shift in the guard.
Challenge doesn’t necessarily resonate with a rivalry but quality surely does. Growing from strength to strength, Bangladesh’s unpredictability made them a feared opponent in both formats for the Indians.
Memorable Games
The Minnow Story
India faced debutante Bangladesh in the second game of the tournament in 1984. Playing their first International match and that too on such a stage got the better of the Bangladeshis as they crumbled to a meagre total of just 116.
India breezed past the target with ease. Despite such an insignificant scorecard, the match still stands out as a symbol of friendship and warmth between the nations in a game of cricket.
Bangladesh Cause a Huge Upset
The two subcontinental neighbors might be worlds apart in terms of cricketing royalty and heritage, but the games from the last decade or so tell us a different story.
One such match was the Asia Cup match between Bangladesh and India in 2012. The encounter at Mirpur witnessed a momentous occasion in cricket history.
One of the greatest cricketers to ever play the game, Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman in history to score 100 centuries in International cricket. The moment was celebrated not only by Indian fans but also by cricket enthusiasts around the globe.
But the Tigers were not to step back. Triple half-centuries in the top order aided by brisk knocks from Shakib and Mushfiq completed the historic chase with 4 balls to spare.
Despite such a landmark victory, all the headlines were bagged by the legendary feat of the Master Blaster.
Dropped Catches Cost a Heavy Price
India faced Bangladesh in a high-voltage encounter in the 2016 Asia Cup.
Electing to bowl first, Bangladesh made a bright start to the innings by picking up Anjinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli & Suresh Raina in quick succession.
At a vulnerable stage of the game, stalwart Shakib Al Hasan dropped a sitter off Rohit Sharma. Rohit then got another life later on in his innings from another dropped catch. The fumbles proved too costly as he went on to score big and got India to a challenging score.
Bangladesh bottled under pressure and gave away their wickets cheaply and were bundled out 45 runs short of the target.
Last Over Heartbreak
Liton Das scored a magnificent hundred in an innings of a lifetime.
This was the second consecutive final for Bangladesh. But an awful middle-order collapse let them score only 228 in their 50 overs.
Coming into the bowl, the Mashrafe Mortaza-led Team Bangladesh laid their bodies on the line to secure the win. An inspiring fightback pushed the match to the very last ball with India edging it in pulsating fashion.
Iconic Performances
Any team sport like cricket reaches its pinnacle through exceptional individuals. The perfection of those performances personifies the sport.
Here we list down the most iconic individual performances in the Asia Cup between Bangladesh and India.
Alok Kapali’s 116 Eclipsed by Raina
On batting paradise in Karachi, Alok Kapali showed his class and scored a brilliant hundred against a potent bowling attack.
His extraordinary innings of 116 carried Bangladesh to a respectable score. This was the first ODI hundred by any Bangladeshi batsman against India.
But unfortunately, it was overshadowed by an even better innings of Suresh Raina powering India to the win with 7 wickets to spare.
The 100th Hundred
The 100th hundred was long evading Sachin Tendulkar. The unprecedented feat was proving to be too elusive to the Little Master.
But the auspicious day finally came when the legendary batsman reached the landmark at Mirpur in the 2012 Asia Cup against Bangladesh.
Liton Das Masterclass
In the Asia Cup final of 2018, talented batsman Liton Das scored a dashing hundred at the Dubai International Stadium.
The sensational innings featured timing, poise, and elegance of the highest order. But it had to go in vain as a spectacular middle-order collapse denied Bangladesh of having a genuine go at the title.
Rifts & Controversies
Bangladesh were not very warmly welcomed in International cricket at the time of their arrival. Questions were constantly raised regarding their presence degrading the quality of the event.
The disappointing remarks had a negative impact on the mentality of the fans & cricketers for the decades to come.
The controversial umpiring decisions of Shakib in 2012 and Liton in 2018 changed the course of the match. The decisions which could have gone either way, caused a huge mass uproar back in Bangladesh who were devastated with the outcome.
Rivalry amongst the Fans
The rivalry between the two teams has reached such a boiling point that fans and supporters of the teams feel worlds apart during the match.
Two of the most passionate fan bases in the world, they never disappoint with crowd appearances and full-fledged support for their countries.
In Popular culture
Legend says that the game has a knack for getting better and better every year.
The emotion & love for the badge that each athlete shows to win deserves huge acclaim.
In recent times, the duel has reached such a point that it’s impossible to imagine a clash without the two colliding.
Heated exchanges before & after the game, in-match brawls, and an ultra-competitive approach have taken the rivalry to the next level. Many critics have hailed this rivalry as a Classic.
Social media and other online platforms have taken the pre-match tussles and debates to another level.
Final Verdict
Rivalries are part and parcel of any sport. But when the clash is held between two neighbours it becomes a pure spectacle right from the point of view of the fans as well as the players.
Bangladesh vs. India is no clash of giants. But the competitive spirit and strife for excellence have pushed the teams to excellence.
From nail-biting content to once-in-a-lifetime performances, these incredible performances in the Asia Cup have left an indelible mark on the cricketing fraternity.
