Sri Lanka heading for more glory in Asia Cup

The Sri Lankan team who have already booked a place in the final are heading for more glory in the on going Asian Cricket Council (ACC) six nation Asia Cup limited overs tournament in Pakistan.

Mahela Jayawardena's team could set up another piece of history by becoming the first side to clinch this prestigious title while performing away from home. Sri Lanka of course have lifted the Asia Cup on three earlier occasions but all these success have been on their home soil.

This time they are in with a chance of creating history having recorded back to back victories against Pakistan and Bangladesh in the Super Four stage and following a clean sweep in the preliminary round where they notched up two big victories against Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates teams.

Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup for the first time defeating Pakistan by five wickets in the final played in Colombo in 1985. The tournament however was marred by the absence of the defending champions India decided to keep away from the Cup due to political and security reasons. Sri Lanka bounced back into recognition when they regained the Asia Cup in 1997 again in Colombo with skipper Arjuna Ranatunga collecting a cash award of $ 30,000 in addition to the glittering Pepsi Asia Cup trophy.

Incidentally Ranatunga who is the present Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had the immense satisfaction of reaching another milestone when he became only the second Sri Lankan after the redoubtable Aravinda de Silva to join the rare select band of the 6000 runs club in the final.

Sri Lanka again underlined their total dominance at home when they won the Asia Cup in 2004 under the captaincy of Marvan Atapattu. After four years the ACC have succeeded in conducting the tournament in Pakistan who are in fact hosting the event for the first time.

Sri Lanka also has the chance of drawing level with India who has won the Asia Cup on four earlier occasions since the inaugural year in 1983. They followed it up with victories in 1988, 1990 and 1994. Pakistan won their only Asia Cup title in the year 2000 in Bangladesh. (Karachi, Thursday).