League: Cricket
The Women’s Asia Cup is a prestigious cricket tournament organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), designed to foster competition and growth in women’s cricket across Asia. Since its inception in 2004, the tournament has become a significant event in the women’s cricket calendar, initially starting with a 50-over format and later transitioning to the T20 format to adapt to the changing dynamics of the sport. The tournament provides a platform for the top women’s cricket teams in Asia to compete at a high level, showcasing their skills and fostering regional rivalries. Over the years, the Women’s Asia Cup has been instrumental in promoting and developing women’s cricket in the region, contributing to the sport’s increasing popularity and competitiveness.
The Women’s Asia Cup has witnessed some memorable moments and standout performances from various teams and players. India‘s dominance in the early years set the tone for the tournament, with their consistent performances and multiple title wins establishing them as the team to beat. The emergence of Bangladesh as a competitive side in recent years added a new dimension to the tournament, highlighting the increasing depth and talent in Asian women’s cricket. The tournament has also seen significant contributions from players like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and, whose performances have left a lasting impact on the competition.
1) 2004 – India vs Sri Lanka
Key Performers: Anjum Chopra was named Player for the Series while Anju Jain made 231 runs in the series for India.
The inaugural Women’s Asia Cup took place in Sri Lanka in April 2004, featuring just two teams: India and Sri Lanka. They competed in a five-match One-Day International series, with India winning all five games and securing the title of the first Women’s Asia Cup champion.
2) 2005-06 – India vs. Sri Lanka
Key Performers: Mithali Raj scored a remarkable century, setting a challenging target for Sri Lanka, who struggled to chase.
3) 2006 – India vs Sri Lanka
Key Performers: Thirush Kamini was named Player of the Series for her all-round performance that included 135 runs and eight wickets for India alongside Dedenu Silva of Sri Lanka who socred 163 runs. On the other hand, Sunetra Paranjpe earned the Player of the Match award
4) 2008 – India vs Sri Lanka
Key Performers: Rumeli Dhar was named Player of the series for scoring 238 runs and also picked up 8 wickets while Asha Rawat won Player of the Match award for her masterful knock of 97 runs.
5) 2012 – India vs Pakistan
Key Performers: Poonam Raut was named Player of the Match for her gritty knock of 25 runs in the low-scoring encounter while Bismah Maroof of Pakistan earned the Player of the Series award.
6) 2016 – India vs Pakistan
Key Performers: Mithali Raj was instrumental in setting a competitive total, which the Indian bowlers defended effectively. Mithali was eventually named both Player of the Series and Player of the Tournament.
7) 2018 – Bangladesh vs India
Key Performers: Rumana Ahmed and Salma Khatun’s all-round performances helped Bangladesh chase the target in a tense finish, marking their first title win. Rumana won the Player of the Match.
8) 2022 – India vs Sri Lanka
Key Performers: Smriti Mandhana’s quickfire innings and Deepti Sharma’s exceptional bowling ensured a dominant win for India.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.