Dhoni's Asia Cup Triumphs: A Closer Look at His Victorious Journey

The Asia Cup, established in 1983, has become a highly anticipated event among cricket fans in Asia.  The first Asia Cup was held in 1984. It was hosted by Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and featured three teams - India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. India emerged as the inaugural champions, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. The victory was significant for India, marking the beginning of their dominance in the tournament. Currently, the participating nations include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan. Over the years, the Asia Cup has witnessed memorable performances, iconic moments, and intense competition.

Asia Cups won by MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the best captains of all time. His leadership prowess guided India to remarkable achievements, including winning the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, India's first ODI World Cup triumph in 28 years. Under Dhoni's captaincy, India also clinched the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He also led India to the number-one ranking in Test cricket.

Under the captaincy of Dhoni, India also won the 2010 and 2016 editions of the Asia Cup held in Sri Lanka. He secured the Asia Cup title in two different formats – ODI format in 2010, and later, the T20I format in 2016.

The 2010 Asia Cup featured only the Test-playing nations - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. India emerged victorious by defeating Sri Lanka in the final, securing their fifth Asia Cup title with a commanding 81-run margin.

Batting first, India set a target of 269 runs in the final, fuelled by Dinesh Karthik's impressive half-century, scoring 66 runs off 84 deliveries. MS Dhoni's contribution was also significant with a valuable knock of 38 runs. In response, Sri Lanka's batting lineup faltered, getting bundled out for only 187 runs. Ashish Nehra led the bowling attack with a four-wicket haul, while Ravindra Jadeja and Zaheer Khan chipped in with two wickets each.

The 2016 Asia Cup, which took place in Bangladesh, marked the 13th edition of the tournament, and the first in the T20I format. The participating teams were Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. India, led by MS Dhoni, emerged victorious, defeating Bangladesh by eight wickets in the final and securing their sixth Asia Cup title. They were also unbeaten throughout the tournament.

Bangladesh posted a total of 120 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the final. Mahmudullah was their top run-scorer with 33 runs. In response, India chased down the target comfortably, reaching 122/2 in just 13.5 overs. Shikhar Dhawan scored a brilliant half-century, while Virat Kohli contributed with an unbeaten 41 runs. 

Additionally, Dhoni was part of the 2018 Asia Cup-winning team, albeit not in the role of captain. Rohit Sharma led the side, while Dhoni played as a wicketkeeper-batsman. 

The Asia Cup has witnessed the leadership of several captains over the years. From the inception of the tournament in 1984 till the present, notable names have lifted the prestigious trophy. Captains like Sunil Gavaskar, MS Dhoni, Mahela Jayawardene, Marvan Atapattu, Misbah Ul Haq, Angelo Matthews and Rohit Sharma have led their respective teams to victory. The first-ever Asia Cup-winning captain is Sunil Gavaskar, while Rohit Sharma won the tournament as captain in 2023.