The Asia Cup is a major cricket tournament where teams from Asia compete at the highest levels. Many legendary players have created history by becoming the highest run scorers in the Asia Cup. However, knowing who scored the most runs in each tournament helps you gain insight into the exceptional performance of each tournament. In this blog, I have shared about the highest run scorer in the Asia Cup from 1984 to 2025. So, to learn more about the blog, let's read the blog till the end.
What Is an Asian Cup?
The Asian Cup is a cricket tournament that is played among Asian countries. The Asian Cup was earlier played only in the ODI format, but since 2016, the game has started to be held in both the ODI and the T20 format. The Asian Cup 2025 will be played in T20 format between 9th September and 28th September 2025. The tournament featured eight teams, including five full-time ACC members and three teams (Oman, UAE, and Hong Kong) that qualified by finishing as the top 3 teams in the 2024 ACC Men's Premier Cup.
Highest Run Scorer in Asian Cup: ODI
Player | Runs | Innings | High Score |
Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 1220 | 24 | 130 |
Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 1075 | 23 | 121 |
Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 971 | 21 | 114 |
Rohit Sharma (IND) | 939 | 26 | 111 |
Mushfiqur Rahim (BAN) | 830 | 25 | 144 |
Shoaib Malik (PAK) | 786 | 15 | 143 |
Virat Kohli (IND) | 742 | 13 | 183 |
Arjuna Ranatunga (SL) | 741 | 19 | 131 |
Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 674 | 28 | 78 |
MS Dhoni (IND) | 648 | 19 | 109 |
The Asia Cup has been gathering love from fans since 1984 and has also witnessed multiple cricketing legends in the tournament, including Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, Jayasuriya, and Yuvraj Singh.
The batting record for the ODI format of the tournament is led by the Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya, the best all-rounder, who scored a total of 1220 runs in 25 matches from 1990 to 2008. Jayasuriya also scored six centuries during the period, which was the highest in the history of the tournament.
Another great legendary Sri Lankan who captured the eyes of everyone is Kumar Sangakkara, who scored a total of 1075 runs in 24 matches between 2004 and 2014. Whereas in the list, Sachin Tendulkar, the batting legend of cricket, ranks as the third-highest run scorer in the history of the tournament. India's beloved 'no.10' scored a total of 971 runs in 23 matches between 1990 and 2012. Even the Asia Cup's last ODI edition took place in 2023, where Shubhman Gill emerged as the leading run scorer with a total of 302 runs in 6 matches.
Highest Run Scorer in Asian Cup: T20
Player | Runs | Innings | High Score |
Virat Kohli (IND) | 429 | 9 | 122 |
Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 281 | 6 | 78 |
Rohit Sharma (IND) | 271 | 9 | 83 |
Babar Hayat (HKG | 235 | 5 | 122 |
Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) | 196 | 5 | 64 |
Bhanuka Rajapaksa (SL) | 191 | 6 | 71 |
Sabbir Rahman (BAN) | 181 | 6 | 80 |
Muhammad Usman (UAE) | 176 | 7 | 46 |
Najibullah Zadran (AFG) | 176 | 8 | 60 |
Pathum Nissanka (SL) | 173 | 6 | 55 |
The Asia Cup in the T20 format first took place in 2016. However, the responsibility for organising the Asia Cup every two years was assigned to the Asian Cricket Council by the International Cricket Council. So far, the Asia Cup has only taken place twice in T20 format, once in 2016 and then again in 2022.
However, our legendary batter Virat Kohli, recognised as the best captain, stands out as the highest run scorer in the tournament's T20 format. He scored a total of 429 runs from 10 matches and nine innings across the 2016 and 2022 editions. His impressive average of 85.80 includes a magknock againstnificent unbeaten 122 Afghanistan in 2022, which marks the highest individual total achieved by any single player in the tournament's T20 format.
Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan closely follows Kohli at the second spot with 281 runs in 6 matches. Rohit Sharma, one of the most run scorers in the IPL ranks third with 271 runs in 9 games. Even Hong Kong's Babar Hayat ranks fourth, scoring 235 runs in 5 matches, including a century.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Highest Run Scorer in the Asia Cup
Who Has Scored the Most Runs in Asia Cup History?
Sanath Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka is the all-time highest run scorer in Asia Cup history. He scored 1,220 runs across different editions.
Has Any Indian Player Been the Highest Run Scorer in an Asia Cup?
Yes, many times! Players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have all been the highest run scorers in Asia Cup editions.
Which Player Has Obtained the Most Ducks in International Cricket?
Most ducks in international cricket were obtained by players like Ishant Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.
The highest run scorer in the Asia Cup for each edition shows us how batters have shaped the tournament with their performances. As the tournament continues, we know many more batting stars will write their names into history with their dazzling and groundbreaking performance.
Turf Town is a platform to discover the best playing grounds near you. You can also join a group of people who share your interest in the game. The app is available for both Android and iOS users.
Thank you!