The Asia Cup in 1988-89, this time with a new sponsor, Wills, was one of the most important tournaments in the sub-continent since the World Cup in 1987. For starters, India decided to participate. They, along with Pakistan, were still smarting from their respective shock exits in the semi-finals of the World Cup. They were being joined by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in a tournament that was to decide as to who was the best in the region. As always, the other two teams were just routine participants in a tournament which aimed to cash in on the two traditional rivals. Or, was it so? The Sri Lankans decided to have a party of their own.

The first match itself must have worried the organizers. The Sri Lankans, who were beginning to get important wins in the One-Day variety of the game, upset Pakistan. With the hosts, Bangladesh, a very weak team, the only way India and Pakistan could play each other in the finals was if India beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan upstaged India. But the second shock was just a few days away, when the Lankans overcame India, thus converting the league game between India and Pakistan into a final-before-a-final.

That match made a star out of a tall off-spinner from Hyderabad, Arshad Ayub. He bowled economically and managed to get 5 Pakistanis out. Chasing a total of 143 though, India had to fall back on that old fighter, Mohinder Amarnath after, at one point the team had been reduced to 116/6. His patient and unbeaten 74 took India to a deserved victory and a final against Sri Lanka.
In the finals, the inexperienced Sri Lanka was subdued first, by their poor running which cost them 4 important middle-order wickets and later by Krish Srikanth, this time in the role of a bowler. The total of 176 was not going to be enough to stop a strong Indian batting line-up and India won their second Asia Cup to keep a 100% record in the tournament.