Top 5 lesser-known Asia Cup records

The Asia Cup tournament has a rich history attached to it ever since it began in 1984. The first edition was played in Sharjah and was won by India on the basis of points in the league stage.

Indian team has won the tournament the most times- 6 in the ODI format and 1 in the T20I format. The Indian team had also won the Asia Cup tournament thrice in a row in 1988, 1990-91, and 1995. The only other team to win back-to-back Asia Cup tournaments is Sri Lanka.

This year’s Asia Cup tournament features Nepal making its debut and keeping with the theme of lesser-known facts and records in the event, we share five other such records of Asia Cup.

Here are the top 5 lesser-known Asia Cup records:

Most runs by an Indian in Asia Cup: Sachin Tendulkar – 971 in 23 ODIs

Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in the Asia Cup by an Indian player. He played 23 matches in the tournament and hammered 971 runs. He hit 7 half-centuries and 2 centuries in the tournament and averaged 51.10 with a strike rate of 85.47.

Interestingly, Tendulkar reached the milestone of 100 international centuries in the Asia Cup 2012, when he hit 114 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in a losing effort. This was his penultimate ODI match as well.

Most sixes by an Indian in Asia Cup in ODIs: Suresh Raina – 18

Suresh Raina. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Ace India batter Suresh Raina is the record holder for most sixes in the Asia Cup tournament in the ODI format by an Indian as he hit 18 maximums in 13 matches, he played and is third on the overall all-time list.

He also hit 2 centuries and 3 fifties, scoring a total of 547 runs at a strike rate of 113.95. He also hit 48 fours in the Asia Cup and holds the record for the fastest century by an Indian in Asia Cup, when he hit a 66-ball ton against Hong Kong in 2008.

Most runs and most wickets overall came in the single edition of the Asia Cup in 2008

Sanath Jayasuriya. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The 2008 Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan was a huge one for Sri Lanka, as they not only won the tournament, but their players also topped the most runs and most wickets chart in the tournament.

Legendary batter Sanath Jayasuriya hammered 378 runs in just 5 matches with a best of 130 and a strike rate of 126. He hit 44 fours and 14 sixes in the tournament overall. Suresh Raina (372), Virender Sehwag (348), Kumar Sangakkara (345), and MS Dhoni (327) completed the top five run-getters in that edition.

On the bowling front, Ajantha Mendis, who was a sensation in 2008, recorded 17 wickets in total at an economy of 3.45 and an average of 8.52. He picked two fifers and one four-wicket haul.

His best bowling of 6/13 came against India in the final of the tournament in Karachi, when his spell blew away India for 173 runs in a chase of 274-run target.

Only two players to win Player of the Tournament twice – Navjot Singh Sidhu and Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The Asia Cup tournaments have seen many players being named Player of the Tournament for their performances, but only two- Navjot Singh Sidhu of India and Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga have won the accolades twice.

Navjot Singh Sidhu won the Player of the Tournament awards in 1988 and 1990-91 editions of the Asia Cup. He made 179 runs in 4 matches with 3 fifties in the 1988 edition and scored 197 runs in 4 matches in the 1995 edition with 3 fifties to his name.

Arjuna Ranatunga was first named Player of the Tournament in the 1986 edition when he scored 105 runs in 3 matches with one fifty. And then he won the award again in the 1997 edition of the Asia Cup as he led Sri Lanka to the title. Ranatunga scored 272 runs in 4 matches with a best of 131* and then another fifty in the final against India.

Only two Indian captains to have not lost a single Asia Cup game – Rohit Sharma and Sunil Gavaskar

Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

India has dominated the Asia Cup tournament with 7 wins in total and twice they have won the title going undefeated in the entire tournament.

The first instance came in the inaugural edition in 1984, when Sunil Gavaskar captained India to the title without losing a match. India defeated both Sri Lanka and Pakistan once in the group stage and was declared the winner by having the most points.

The next instance came in 2018, when India was captained by Rohit Sharma and the tournament was played in UAE.

India was grouped with Pakistan and Hong Kong and defeated both opponents quite easily. Then, in the Super 4s stage, India comprehensively beat Bangladesh (7 wickets), and Pakistan (9 wickets) and had a scare against Afghanistan.

India was held to a tie by Afghanistan in their final Super 4s encounter and then they defeated Bangladesh in the final to win the trophy.