Funnycontrol | Asia Cup 2023: 6 investing lessons, as India lifts the trophy

India beat Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asia Cup Final on Sunday. Respective captains Rohit Sharma and Dasun Shanaka with the tournament trophy.

This Asia Cup is like Asian World Cup before the World Cup in October. As India beat 2022 Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to lift the trophy, thankfully, we didn’t see see a similar sequence in the case of a global financial meltdown. But the Asia Cup has some important investing lessons to take on board:

1)      Always keep a reserve for your prized asset class: There is a lot of criticism that only the India Pakistan match had a reserve day while all other matches were washed away like Sri Lanka’s agricultural productivity. But the Asian Cricket Council knows which side its bread is buttered, or rather which countries’ crowds are the true investors in their shares. Therefore, always keep a reserve to invest in the crowd favourite whether it’s NFTs of Jawan or an autographed selfie with your favourite finfluncer after being banned by SEBI.

2)      Invest where the sun doesn’t shine: Contrary to the popular expression, “make hay when the sun shines”, the BCCI agreed to all matches in rain-soaked Sri Lanka, which mercifully is yet to be soaked in something else despite its economic troubles. However, when one reads stories about how the matches have helped to revive the Sri Lankan economy, perhaps, BCCI is playing the role of a long-term investor in Sri Lanka.

3)      Say Shubh Shubh to your investing and cricketing Gods: Shubman Gill has been delivering a lot like the stock of ITC in recent times. He even scored 122 in a losing cause like that lone green stock on an otherwise red day in the markets. Let us pray and hope that the Shubman Gills in our portfolios also continue deliver in the same fashion. But enough about Supreme Industries.

4)      Prepare for the big event: The Asia Cup has been a great testing ground for the Indian cricket team whether it was seeing Bumrah back in action or Rohit Sharma making up with the bat the loss of his social reputation after being captured hungover and dazed on social media. Mercifully, it was the bowling attack that was left dazed and hungover. Here’s hoping to see the same fate of all those market bulls making fun of the bears holding on to their declining put options on the Nifty and the NASDAQ.

5)       Comment on other markets: Gautam Gambhir criticised everything about Babar Azam’s captaincy in Pakistan’s loss to Sri Lanka ranging from his field placements to the placement of his sponsor logo. In similar fashion, feel entitled to comment on the lack of oversight on the trouble brewing in US treasury securities to the foolishness of the ECB in raising rates at this juncture. All this because you cannot get over your bitterness at someone else being named class prefect ahead of you in 2011.

6)      Pray for a grand finale: The India-Sri Lanka Asia Cup final is contrary to what most market participants were hoping for. But just like an unexpected result in the elections, an unexpected match-up in the final can lead to some really interesting outcomes. Now whether you cheer for INDIA or you cheer for Bharat, the only thing that matters to the sponsors is your investment dollars. But enough about anonymous electoral bonds.