A modest three-team contest in Sharjah laid the foundation for Asia's longest-running cricket rivalry
Long before Super Fours, knockouts, and eight-team
line-ups, the Asia Cup began in 1984 as a compact, almost experimental event. Only three sides - India, PAK, and Sri Lanka - travelled to Sharjah for a round-robin competition. Each team faced the others once, and the team at the top of the table lifted the trophy.
It was as straightforward as cricket gets: three matches, no final, winner-takes-all. For the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, it was a milestone too. The newly built Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosted its first-ever One Day International during the tournament, a venue that would later become a hub for Asian cricket.
India takes control of the desert stage
Fresh from their 1983 World Cup victory, Sunil Gavaskar’s India entered as favourites. They started with a commanding dismantling of Sri Lanka, bowling them out for just 96. Seamers Madan Lal (3 for 11) and Roger Binny made the chase straightforward, and wicketkeeper Surinder Khanna added flair with an unbeaten 51 as India won by ten wickets.
Credit: cricketcountry
The pivotal match came against PAK. On a tense April afternoon, India batted first and once again relied on Khanna’s composed strokeplay. His 56 from 72 balls, supported by Gavaskar’s steadiness, lifted India to 188 for 4 in 46 overs.
PAK never recovered from early setbacks. Binny (3 for 33) and Chetan Sharma (3 for 22) cut through their batting line-up, dismissing them for 134. India secured a 54-run victory and, with it, the inaugural Asia Cup title.
The unsung hero - Surinder Khanna
For all the star names in India’s XI — Gavaskar, Vengsarkar, Shastri — it was Surinder Khanna, a wicketkeeper from Delhi, who captured the spotlight. Across two innings, he scored 107 runs at an average of 107, becoming the tournament’s leading run-scorer and rightly earning Player of the Series.
Credit: @ICC
His innings were not flamboyant but were essential. Against Sri Lanka, he finished the chase with authority. Against PAK, he absorbed pressure and stabilised India’s batting. In a tournament that allowed little room for error, Khanna’s dependability proved invaluable.
Sri Lanka's early statement
Though runners-up, Sri Lanka made a strong impression. They started by defeating PAK in their first match, chasing down 187 with Roy Dias's smooth 57 guiding them home.
For a team that had only gained Test status a few years earlier, it was a sign of their growing confidence on the international stage. Within a decade, they would become world champions.
Credit: Crictracker
The legacy of 1984
Statistics tell part of the story:
India remains unbeaten with two wins.
Khanna’s 107 runs topped the charts.
Ravi Shastri emerged as the leading wicket-taker with four scalps at 3.11 runs per over.
But the real legacy was symbolic. The Asia Cup provided the continent with its own arena, where regional pride was at stake and rivalries intensified.
For India, it was proof that their World Cup triumph was no accident.
Credit: News18
From round-robin to regional spectacle
As the 2025 Asia Cup returns to the UAE with eight teams, a Super Fours format, and global television audiences, it is worth remembering its humble beginnings.
A simple round-robin in Sharjah, three games in a desert outpost, and India lifting the first trophy under Gavaskar’s watch.
Forty-one years later, the stakes are higher, the format more intricate, and the players global icons. Yet, the spirit remains unchanged: a battle to be Asia’s best.
