Asia Cup: India favourites but not without challenges

Since 2010, India have won four out of seven editions but the T20 format may throw up a few banana peels

- Somshuvra Laha

It's a testament to the adaptive nature of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that the Asia Cup is still alive and kicking ata time when all other multi-nation meets have ceased to exist for more than a decade now.

The formula was always fool-proofalong the years, given India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were similarly matched throughout the 90s and the 2000s, with Bangladesh occasionally punching above their weight. Switching between formats in the year before the World Cup has kept the Asia Cup chronologically relevant since 2016. Alarming however has been the dip in competition, raising a pertinent question if this isa level playing field anymore.

India’s superiority has been indisputable. Since 2010, India have won four out of seven editions, Sri Lanka twice and Pakistan only once, in 2012. The current world champions, India lead the ICC T20 rankings where Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are ranked No 7 to 10. Which makes the format—group league followed by a Super Four—quite pointless because there are only five Test playing nations in the fray. The other three teams, all associate nations, aren't expected to make the cut. Yet, the Asia Cup must go this way, primarily because associates need quality match time with top sides ina tournament that isn'ta World Cup.