Five teams and a new one
India had been awarded the 2014 Asia Cup and pulled out in 2013 over scheduling. Bangladesh took it on, rearranging their own calendar to fit it in, and then had to see off doubts about political violence in the country in the January before the tournament, when Sri Lanka offered to host both this event and the World Twenty20 that followed it. It went ahead, split between the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium at Fatullah and the Sher-e-Bangla stadium at Mirpur.
The field grew to five with the addition of Afghanistan, playing their first Asia Cup and their first fifty-over tournament of this standing. Each side played the other four, and the top two met in a final.
Afghanistan beat Bangladesh
Afghanistan lost their first match to Pakistan by 72 runs, which was respectable enough. Their second, against the hosts on 1 March at Fatullah, was the result of the tournament. Asghar Stanikzai made 90 not out from 103 balls, Afghanistan reached 254 for 6, and Mohammad Nabi took 3 for 44 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 222. It was Afghanistan's first win over a Test nation at this level, and it came in front of a crowd that had expected the opposite.
Bangladesh lost all four of their matches, two years after reaching the final. The closest was against Pakistan on 4 March: Anamul Haque made 100 and Bangladesh posted 326 for 3, and Ahmed Shehzad's 103 and Shahid Afridi's late hitting got Pakistan there with a ball to spare.
Pakistan had already beaten India by one wicket two days earlier, Afridi hitting Ravichandran Ashwin for two sixes in the last over. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, won all four, including a two-wicket win over India in which Kumar Sangakkara made 103 from 84 balls.
The final
Pakistan batted first at Mirpur on 8 March. Fawad Alam, recalled after five years out of the one-day side, made 114 not out from 134 balls and Misbah-ul-Haq supported him; Pakistan reached 260 for 5. Lasith Malinga took 5 for 56, his second five-wicket haul against them in the tournament.
Sri Lanka's chase was built on Lahiru Thirimanne, who made 101 from 108 balls having also made 102 in the opening match. Saeed Ajmal took 3 for 26 but Sri Lanka got home with 22 balls to spare.
Malinga was man of the match and finished level with Ajmal on eleven wickets. Thirimanne was player of the tournament, and Sri Lanka had their fifth Asia Cup, drawing level with India.