India is the most winning team in the history of Men Asia cup with eight titles on their belt. Nonetheless, even though they are the dominant ones, the Men in Blue have not been present in all 17 editions. Interestingly, India missed the second tournament in 1986 after winning the first tournament in the year 1984 under Sunil Gavaskar.
India’s Absence in 1986 Asia Cup
The principal cause that India did not participate in the 1986 Asia Cup was strained diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka. Initially based in Sri Lanka, the tournament was held at a time when there was an upsurge in civil unrest. The Indian government, on the issue of player safety, directed the BCCI to pull out the team which posed a politically sensitive predicament.
“The 1986 event was scheduled in Sri Lanka but was overshadowed by the country’s escalating civil war, which had broken out in 1983 between the government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Concerned for player safety, the Indian government instructed the BCCI to withdraw the team, making it a politically sensitive move given India’s delicate regional diplomacy over the conflict,” reported the Times of India.
History of Political Withdrawals in Asia Cup
India is not the only country that missed an Asia Cup event because of a political crisis. Pakistan also declined to go to India in 1990-91 in charge of the tournament over the poor bilateral relations. Such withdrawals underscore the role of geopolitics sometimes in the Asia Cup, and emphasizing the fragility of sport and diplomacy in South Asia.
Since the version in the 1990-91, however, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been participating regularly. These groups have already attended all the editions which enabled to sustain the image of the Asia Cup as the high profile regional event which unites the top cricketing nations despite the political differences.
India’s Current Asia Cup Campaign
India started their journey to the Asia Cup 2025 on September 10 with a resounding 9-wicket victory over UAE in Dubai. The Men in Blue are now ready to take on arch-rivals, Pakistan on Sunday, September 14, at the same venue. India has a strong history of winning 10 of 18 Asia Cup matches against Pakistan and this adds to their winning record.
Rohit Sharma and his team beat Babar Azam and his force by 228 runs in their final game in the Asia Cup on September 10-11, 2023, in Colombo. The next match between India and Pakistan will be the first India-Pakistan Asia Cup game since the tragic killing of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam attack and some aspects in India are urging to boycott the game but the game will be played as planned.
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