Asia Cup is a tournament which has had its long illustrious history, but there have been a few controversies as well.
The excitement is palpable as only a couple of days remain before the Asia Cup 2022 commences on August 27, with Sri Lanka scheduled to take on Afghanistan in the tournament opener. India will begin their title defence on Sunday, August 28, as they face off against arch-rivals Pakistan.
Given the history between the two nations, they only play each other at major events like the World Cup or Asia Cup. Throughout the course of history, there have been plenty of fiesty matches and some of them took place in the Asia Cup well.
On a relatable note, here are the top five controversies in Asia Cup history.
1. Captain cool loses his calm
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During one of the most memorable India-Pakistan contests in Asia Cup 2016, wherein MS Dhoni, who is known for his calm demeanour, completely lost his cool. It so happened that Pakistan’s Khurram Manzoor was given not out, despite the ball deflecting off his gloves while Dhoni completed the catch. Even the tv replays suggested the same, but umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid thought otherwise. After the match, Dhoni raised concerns about the dodgy umpiring calls.
2. Harbhajan Singh vs Shoaib Akhtar
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The India-Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2010 witnessed plenty of flaring tempers, with Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar among those who almost came to blows. During the 47th over, Bhajji slammed a six off Akhtar's delivery, who subsequently retaliated with two snorters at the Indian cricketer's ribcage. The duo exchanged a few unpleasantries after which Singh made some not-so-good gestures toward his Pakistani counterpart. In an interview later, Akhtar revealed he had gone to India's hotel to pick up a fight with Harbhajan.
3. Gautam Gambhir vs Kamran Akmal
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During the same match in 2010, Gautam Gambhir and Kamran Akmal also had a fiery faceoff. During India's chase, Akmal appealed for caught-behind, but his appeal was turned down. During the next drinks break, Gambhir and Akmal had a war of words, and they had to separated by MS Dhoni and the umpires.
4. Taskin Ahmed and the photoshopped MS Dhoni image
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One of the biggest controversies in Asia Cup history, ahead of India and Bangladesh's final in the 2016 edition, a photoshopped image of Taskin Ahmed holding MS Dhoni's severed head had taken social media by storm. It was uploaded by a fan after Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka in the semifinal. However Dhoni remained unfazed by the incident and helped India beat the Bangla Tigers in the final.
5. Mohammad Sami's 17-ball over
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Former Pakistani pacer Mohammad Sami hogged the limelight after the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match in Asia Cup, but due to all the wrong reasons. The first over of his spell was a maiden, however, the second over was an unforgettable one. Sami bowled a 17-ball over, yes you read it right, 17 balls, including seven wides and four no-balls.
