India’s Record in Asia Cup Finals: A Detailed Breakdown Of All Previous Finals Performances | Cricket News

India are the most successful side in Asia Cup history, lifting the trophy eight times across ODI and T20 formats. From 1984 to 2025, India has reached the Asia Cup final 12 times, winning 8 titles and finishing runners-up 3 times.

With another final ahead, they remain the kings of Asian cricket.

Let us relive the history together, as we walk down memory lane with a finals-by-finals account of India’s performances since the inception of the iconic tournament:

1984 (Sharjah) — India beat Sri Lanka (India champions, inaugural Asia Cup)

The very first Asia Cup was played in Sharjah in 1984 as a round-robin rather than a one-off final, but the decisive clash effectively turned into a title decider between India and Sri Lanka. India dominated proceedings, bowling Sri Lanka out for 96 before calmly chasing down the target with seven wickets to spare. Skipper Sunil Gavaskar lifted the inaugural trophy, marking the start of India’s continental dominance.

Best moment: India’s bowlers tearing through Sri Lanka’s batting order to bowl them out under 100, setting up a straightforward chase and ensuring India became the first-ever Asia Cup champions.

1988 (Dhaka) — India 180/4 beat Sri Lanka 176 (India champions)

The 1988 edition was an ODI final that confirmed India as continental heavyweights again after the first tournament in 1984. India chased comfortably, paced by a composed top order that absorbed early pressure and sealed a six-wicket win.

Best moment: an experienced middle-order finish that steadied the chase and underlined India’s bench strength in pressure chases.

1990–91 (Kolkata) — India beat Sri Lanka (India champions)

Played at Eden Gardens, this final reinforced India’s dominance on home soil. India’s bowlers created the platform and the chase was finished with authority. The win kept India the tournament’s benchmark side in the early era.

Best moment: a decisive spell from the seamers that collapsed Sri Lanka’s top order and set up a manageable chase.

1995 (Sharjah) — India 233/2 beat Sri Lanka 230 (India champions)

India’s 1995 triumph in Sharjah was a high-scoring final; India’s batsmen converted starts into big contributions to overhaul Sri Lanka’s competitive total. The victory cemented India’s 1990s credentials in the region.

Best moment: a big, elegant finishing partnership that carried India across the line in a run chase.

1997 (Colombo) — Sri Lanka beat India (India runners-up)

India’s three-title run was halted in 1997 as Marvan Atapattu and Sri Lanka dominated the final. India posted a respectable 239/7, but Sri Lanka chased with room to spare.

Best moment: Atapattu’s composed batting in the final, which set up Sri Lanka’s successful chase.

2004 & 2008 (runner-up finishes) — near misses

The 2000s brought mixed fortunes. India reached the finals in 2004 and again in 2008 but were edged out by a resurgent Sri Lanka on both occasions, underlining the ebb and flow of regional supremacy.

Best moment (2008 final): Sri Lanka’s comprehensive performance (batting and bowling) that exposed vulnerabilities in India’s campaign and swung momentum to the hosts.

2010 (Dambulla) — India beat Sri Lanka (India champions)

India broke a long title drought with a composed display in the final, combining disciplined bowling with a controlled chase. The win revived India’s Asia Cup pedigree as the tournament entered its second decade.

Best moment: a crucial middle-overs partnership that steadied the innings and allowed India to accelerate late.

2016 (T20, Bangladesh) — India beat Bangladesh (India champions, T20)

In the first T20-format Asia Cup, India adapted well to the shorter game and emerged champions, showcasing power hitting and clutch death-over bowling. The T20 title added a new dimension to India’s continental success.

Best moment: a match-turning power-play or death-over flourish that swung the final decisively in India’s favour.

2018 (Abu Dhabi) — India beat Bangladesh (India champions, ODI)

India won the 2018 ODI Asia Cup with a tense finish against Bangladesh; the team’s experience in crunch moments paid dividends. The tournament underscored India’s depth and adaptability in neutral UAE conditions.

Best moment: a nervy late-over passage where India held nerve to secure the victory in a tight final.

2023 (Colombo) — India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets (India champions)

India’s most recent Asia Cup final was emphatic: Mohammed Siraj’s destructive new-ball burst (6-21) skittled Sri Lanka for 50, and India knocked off the target without losing a wicket—one of the most one-sided Asia Cup finals in memory. India lifted their eighth title.

Best moment: Mohammed Siraj’s brutal opening spell that reduced Sri Lanka to a microscopic total and decided the final within the first session.

What Do The Finals Entail For India?

The finals have produced classic individual spells and calm run-chases; the Siraj performance in 2023 and earlier finishing partnerships across the 1990s and 2010s stand out as defining moments.

Across three decades, India have shown an ability to reinvent themselves — from relying on experienced domestic campaigners in the 1980s–90s, to showcasing explosive young batsmen and specialist death-bowlers more recently.

With the stakes as high as they could be — given the India vs Pakistan clash in the final for the very first time — it’s everything to play for, as the Men in Blue will be looking to defend their honour and bring home the silverware.