Women's Asia Cup Over The Years: History, Expansion And India's Undisputed Dominance

The Women's Asia Cup 2024 begins Friday, July 19 in Sri Lanka. For just the second time in the history of this tournament, eight teams will be participating in it. (Full Coverage | Live Streaming | Schedule)

Defending Champions India, hosts Sri Lanka alongside Pakistan and Bangladesh qualified automatically for the tournament by being ICC full members. These four will be joined by Malaysia, UAE, Nepal and Thailand who all qualified as the top four teams in the 2024 ACC Women's Premier Cup.

With the 2024 Women's Asia Cup about to begin let us take a look at the history of the tournament and what has happened at the earlier editions.

History

While the men's Asia Cup had begun in the 1980s, women had to wait for the 21st century to have first such tournament.

The first Women's Asia Cup was played in 2004 and it was not even a tournament. In the inaugural Women's Asia Cup, there were just two teams. India and Sri Lanka played a five-match ODI series in Sinhalese Sports Club Ground and Kandy Cricket Club.

Since then the tournament has slowly expanded, just like women's cricket.

Expansion

The second Women's Asia Cup in 2005-06 saw Pakistan joining India and Sri Lanka to make it a three-team tournament. The next tournament also was played between these three teams.

In the fourth edition of the Women's Asia Cup in 2008, Bangladesh made its debut as the fourth competitor.

In the next edition in 2012, the tournament moved to China and a record eight teams marked their attendance. This was also the first time, the Women's Asia Cup was held in the T20 format. Hosts China alongside Hong Kong, Nepal and Thailand made their debuts.

Six teams participated in the 2016 and 2018 editions while seven competed in the last Women's Asia Cup in 2022.

Malaysia made their debut in 2018 and in 2022 UAE became the tenth nation to participate in the Women's Asia Cup.

India's dominance

India and Sri Lanka fought each other in the first ever Women's Asia Cup that was held as a five match ODI series between the two teams. India absolutely dominated the Lankans winning the series 5-0. Not in a single ODI could the Sri Lankan women cross the 100-run mark.

From here began the era of dominance of the Indian women in Asia Cup. Out of the eight editions, India have won seven. Till the 2018 Women's Asia Cup, India were undefeated. The streak was broken in a group stage match in 2018. Later in the final of the same edition, Bangladesh defeated India to become the only team apart from the Women In Blue to win an Asia Cup title.

India's current win/loss record at the tournament is a staggering 44/3.

Women's Asia Cup All Editions

The upcoming Women's Asia Cup takes place in Sri Lanka's Dambulla from July 19 to 28. India again go into the tournament with the expectations of continuing their dominance.