On this day in 1995, India had defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets to win the fifth edition of the Asia Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In what was their fourth title, India currently possess the most number of Asia Cup titles (6).
Chasing a 231-run target, India lost openers Manoj Prabhakar (9) and Sachin Tendulkar (41) in quick succession. Tendulkar, who was looking good on the back of hitting five boundaries, failed to convert his starts in the big final.
Match winning partnership
It was a match-winning 175-run partnership between Navjot Singh Sidhu and the then captain Mohammad Azharuddin which saw India chasing the target comfortably in the 42nd over.
While Sidhu scored 84* (102) with the help of five fours, Azharuddin contributed 90* (89) with the help of five fours and two sixes. The pair successfully rotated the striker throughout the Indian innings and took on the opposition bowlers when required.
After Azharduddin won the toss and invited Sri Lanka in to bat, they scored 230/7 in 50 overs on the back of Asanka Gurusinha top-scoring with 85 (122) with the help of two fours and three sixes. With bowling figures of 10-1-32-2, India pacer Venkatesh Prasad was the picked of their bowlers. Apart Prasad, Anil Kumble and Prabhakar also contributed with two and one wicket respectively.
While Azharuddin was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’, Sidhu bagged the ‘Man of the Series’ award on the back of scoring 197 runs in four matches at an average of 98.50 and a strike rate of 80.40 including three half-centuries.
Today in 1984: India, led by Sunil Gavaskar, won the inaugural Asia Cup ODI cricket title at Sharjah, by topping the league table in a tournament that involved Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Since then, India has won in all, a record six ODI and one T20I Asia Cup titles! pic.twitter.com/573WbuGXuI
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 13, 2020
