The Asia Cup has been dominated by the hype surrounding the India and Pakistan match, but it should not be reduced to a two-team rivalry, as the continental tournament has also been a rare platform for the associate nations.
The match between India and Pakistan undoubtedly stands as the main attraction, as they don鈥檛 meet in bilateral series, as a result, the arch-rivals are placed in the same group in the ICC and ACC tournaments deliberately, which draws record numbers of spectators, substantial broadcasting rights, and revenue.聽
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka matches also generated much hype over the years, but none could come close to the India-Pakistan match.
Yet the Asia Cup has always stood for more than that.
Since its inception in 1984, the Asia Cup has primarily featured the region鈥檚 Test-playing nations, but associates have occasionally been given the chance to compete.聽
The UAE and Hong Kong first appeared in 2004, while Afghanistan, in 2014, stunned Bangladesh with a 32-run win before achieving full ICC membership three years later.
Bangladesh also started in a similar pattern before gaining the ICC full member status, as the Asia Cup served as the only platform for the Tigers to get a taste of international cricket.
The first time Bangladesh participated in the Asia Cup was in 1986, until July 1997, 13 of the 15 ODIs played by Bangladesh were in the Asia Cup.
Bangladesh had to wait until 2004 to get their first win in the Asia Cup when they beat Hong Kong by 116 runs in Colombo.
Oman became the fifth associate nation to appear in the continental showpiece. They follow in the footsteps of the UAE, Hong Kong and Afghanistan, who all began their Asia Cup journeys as outsiders.
For Oman, participation is less about television ratings or packed stadiums and more about recognition on the international stage.
鈥業t is a historical moment for Oman as we are playing our first Asia Cup. But we have played three World Cups 2016, 2021 and last year. So our team are charged up and excited about the tournament. The boys are really looking forward to the tournament,鈥� said Jatinder Singh at the captain鈥檚 press conference on Tuesday.
Nepal joined in 2023, marking their maiden appearance, and now Oman鈥檚 inclusion underlines the ACC鈥檚 push to broaden the game鈥檚 footprint.
Despite their participation, no associate nation has ever progressed beyond the group stage. Still, officials and players argue that the exposure against top opposition is invaluable.
鈥榃e played good cricket in recent times. And got ourselves prepared for the event. We are going to play against India and Pakistan. We don鈥檛 want to target anyone, just give our best on that day,鈥� said UAE captain Muhammad Waseem in the same event.
While the India-Pakistan clash remains the marquee fixture, smaller nations also hold their stories that should not be overshadowed.
