Holders India start their Asia Cup title defence with a Group A match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, on Wednesday (September 10).
Here's a look at India's five biggest wins in the T20 format of the Asia Cup, three by runs and two by wickets, ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE.
India's Biggest Wins By Runs
India Vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2022 Match 11 (Super Four)
India's most dominant win by runs in the Asia Cup T20 format came against Afghanistan on September 8, 2022. Asked to set a target at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India posted 212/2, with Virat Kohli scoring his long-awaited century (122 off 61).
Afghanistan, in reply, crumbled to 111/8, handing India a 101-run victory. It was a match that showcased India's batting depth and their ability to defend totals with spin-heavy control in the middle overs, after the sensational start from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5/4) with the new ball. Ibrahim Zadran was left stranded on 64 not out.
India Vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2016 Match 1
The second-largest win came on February 24, 2016, against Bangladesh. After losing the toss at Mirpur, India rode opener Rohit Sharma's 55-ball 83 and Hardik Pandya's 31 off 18 to 166/6.
Then India's pace trio of Ashish Nehra (3/23), Jasprit Bumrah (1/230, and Pandya (1/23) rocked Bangladesh on the slow Mirpur surface. Ravichandran Ashwin (1/23) also bowled with wicketless Ravindra Jadeja in tandem. Interestingly, all the wicket-takers conceded 23 runs each in their respective four-over spells. India won by 45 runs.
India Vs Hong Kong, Asia Cup 2022 Match 4
Third on the list is India's 40-run win over Hong Kong on August 31, 2022. Put into bat, the Indian top order had a merry outing in Dubai. KL Rahul (36 off 39) and Rohit Sharma (21 off 13) stitched a 38-run opening stand to lay the foundation.
Then, Virat Kohli (59 off 44) and Suryakumar Yadav (68 off 26) added 98 runs in 42 balls for the unbroken third wicket partnership. India set a 193-run target.
Hong Kong, despite defiant knocks from Babar Hayat (41 off 35) and Kinchit Shah (30 off 28), could manage only 152/5.
India's Biggest Wins By Wickets
India Vs UAE, Asia Cup 2016 Match 9
India's most emphatic chase in Asia Cup T20 history came against the United Arab Emirates on March 3, 2016. The UAE won the toss and opted to bat first in Mirpur.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar led India's bowling attack with miserly bowling figures of 2/8 in four overs, which included a couple of maiden overs. Five others also claimed a wicket to restrict the UAE to 81/9.
In reply, India lost Rohit Sharma's wicket. But Shikhar Dhawan (16 off 20) and Yuvraj Singh (off 14) wrapped up the chase in 10.1 overs. Rohit, who scored 39 off 28, took home the Player of the Match award.
India Vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2016 Match 4
During the same tournament, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets with 27 balls to spare despite Mohammad Amir's sensational opening burst (3/18).
MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to chase. Ashish Nehra opened the floodgates in the first over itself, removing Mohammad Hafeez in the fourth delivery. Jasprit Bumrah (1/8), Hardik Pandya (3/8), Yuvraj Singh (1/11), and Ravindra Jadeja (2/11) accounted for the remaining wickets as India dismissed Pakistan for 83 all out -- their lowest in the tournament.
But the chase on a sluggish Mirpur top was never going to be easy. India lost Rohit Sharma in the second ball, then were 8/3 in the third. But Virat Kohli's 51-ball 49 proved decisive in the tricky chase.
India and Pakistan will resume their hostility on September 14, 2025. The bitter rivals are likely to meet at least twice in the latest iteration of the Asia Cup.
