Asian Test Championship

The ACC Asian Test Championship was a professional Test cricket tournament contested between the Test playing nations of Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It is not a regular event in the cricketing calendar and has so far been held only twice; in 1998–99 when Pakistan won and in 2001–02 with Sri Lanka as champions. It was originally planned that the tournament would be held every two years, alternatively with the Asia Cup.[3]

ACC Asian Test Championship
Logo ACC Asian Test Championship
AdministratorAsian Cricket Council
FormatTest cricket
First edition1998
Latest edition2002
Tournament formatRound-robin tournament
Number of teams Bangladesh[1]
 India[2]
 Pakistan
 Sri Lanka
Most successful Pakistan
 Sri Lanka (1 title each)
Most runsSanath Jayasuriya (1000)
Most wicketsMuttiah Muralitharan (18)

The Asian Test Championship is only the second example of a Test cricket tournament involving more than two teams, the first being the 1912 Triangular Tournament, which was held between Australia, England and South Africa. This tournament was considered to be the predecessor to the Test Cricket World Cup that the International Cricket Council was planning for the 9 member nations.[4]

In 2006, the Asian Cricket Council cancelled the Asian Test Championship, as well as the Asian and African Cup, due to the tightly packed international cricket tour schedule. The third installment of the Championship had been delayed by four years due to conflicting tours of the participating members.[5] Moreover, with the arrival of the official ICC Test Championship which has largely served to show a more balanced approach to Test ratings, interest in the Asian Test Championship has waned.

1998–1999 Asian Test Championship

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka competed in the inaugural Asian Test Championship between February and March 1999. Bangladesh could not compete because the ICC had not granted them Test status.

Three round-robin matches were played by the three competing sides. A win was worth 12 points, a tie 6 points and no points were awarded for a draw or loss. In addition to this, bonus points were awarded to teams for bowling and batting performances.

The venues of the round robin matches were rotated between the three countries, with the final to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh as a neutral venue.

Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 175 runs in the final to become the first Asian Test Champions.

2001–2002 Asian Test Championship

Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka competed in the second Asian Test Championship between August 2001 and March 2002. India pulled out of the tournament due to political tensions with Pakistan. Pakistan and Sri Lanka both played Bangladesh in the two round robin matches. A win was worth 16 points, a tie 8 points and no points were awarded for a draw or loss. In addition to this, bonus points were awarded to teams for bowling and batting performances. Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for the final after convincingly beating Bangladesh in Multan Cricket Stadium in Pakistan and Colombo in Sri Lanka.

The final was held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 8 wickets to win the second Asian Test championship.

See also

References
  1. Bangladesh did not participate in the 1998–99 tournament
  2. India did not participate in the 2001–02 tournament
  3. Inaugural Asian Test championships 11 February 1999 Sa'adi Thawfeeq
  4. Asian Test Championship from 14 February to 17 March, 24 December 1998, 24 December 1998 by Peter Christie
  5. Afro-Asia Cup, Asian Test Championship to be scrapped Saturday 7 January 2006 By Indo Asian News Service
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