Asia Cup men’s hockey trivia

File photo of Pakistan hockey team, 2012

• Pakistan have won the Asia Cup on most occasions – three times (1982, 1985 and 1989)
• Korea did not feature in the inaugural edition in 1982
• Pakistan became the first team to retain the Asia Cup crown in 1985 at Dhaka
• India’s final 7-2 win over Korea in 2007 is the biggest winning margin in an Asia Cup final
• India and Pakistan were placed in the same pool of the Asia Cup only on two occasions – 2003 and 2009 editions
• Six India players were banned for roughing up the umpire after they disputed a goal allowed by him during the 1985 Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dhaka
• India, Pakistan, Malaysia, China and Bangladesh are five teams that have taken part in every Asia Cup so far
• India has finished runners-up in the Asia Cup on most occasions – four times
• Korea took the third spot in Asia Cup most times – thrice
• India’s 20-0 win vs Sri Lanka at the 2003 edition, Pakistan’s 20-0 win over Thailand and Malaysia’s 20-0 win over Thailand at the 1982 edition are the biggest victory margins in the Asia Cup so far
• India have beaten Pakistan only once in five meetings – the only win came when they beat their arch-rivals 4-2 in the 2003 final in Kuala Lumpur to corner glory
• Kuala Lumpur is the only city to host the Asia Cup twice (1999 and 2003)
• Korea became the second team after Pakistan to retain the Asia Cup crown in 1999
• Malaysia is the only country to host the Asia Cup thrice (Kuala Lumpur staged the 1999 and 2003 editions, while Kuantan hosted in it 2009)
• At the 2007 Asia Cup final in Chennai, the Korean coach took his players off the pitch for a few minutes after they disputed a goal being disallowed by the umpire
• India became the 3rd team after Pakistan and Korea to retain the Asia Cup crown in 2007
• Pakistan completed a hat-trick of Asia Cup triumphs at the 1989 edition
• The 2007 Asia Cup saw most teams participating – 11 teams
• Bangladesh has taken part in every Asia Cup so far, but their best showing has been a 5th place finish in the inaugural edition in 1982
• Malaysian despite being a strong Asian hockey force has managed only a solitary podium finish (3rd) in the 2007 edition although they have reached the semifinals on quite a few occasions
• Korea did not feature in the inaugural Asia Cup, but has made a podium finish in rest seven Asia Cup events – thrice winning it, runners-up once and bagging the third place once
• Thailand has the dubious distinction of conceding most goals by any nation in any single Asia Cup event- they leaked 62 goals in the 1994 edition
• A whopping 217 goals were scored in the 2007 Asia Cup in Chennai – the highest in any edition so far
• The least number of goals in Asia Cup came during the 1989 edition in New Delhi when only 62 goals were scored
• India failed to make a podium finish for the first time in the 2009 Asia Cup when they finished fifth
• Bangladesh has conceded most goals in Asia Cup – 140 goals from all eight editionsPakistan have scored most goals in Asia Cup -267 goals
• Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win came in 1989 when they completed a hat-trick of title wins
• Both India and Pakistan hold the record of scoring most goals in a single Asia Cup event – Pakistan 51 goals in 1982 edition and India 51 goals in 2007 edition
• Pakistan’s hold on the winning trophy was halted at the 1994 Asia Cup as Korea won it for the first time
• India’s 9-1 win over Japan in 1985 Asia Cup is the biggest victory margin in the semifinal stage
• India became the first team to lose a final as host nation at the 1989 edition
• Pakistan failed to make a podium finish for the first time at the 2007 Asia Cup