There are only four days left until the opening match of the Asia Cup, so the clash of the Asian titans will be on show. Pakistan, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, will play Nepal, a newcomer this year, in the opening match. The Multan Cricket Stadium will host the first game.
When it comes to the most runs scored in the Asia Cup, legends of the game like Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kumar Sangakkara dominate the lists. We take a look at the top 5 active players with the most runs in the Asia Cup as the 16th edition of the eagerly awaited continental championship approaches.
Rohit Sharma: 745 runs
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The current leader among all active players for runs scored in the Asia Cup is Rohit Sharma, the captain of India and champion of the most recent 50-over Asia Cup in Dubai. In the 10 years after his Asia Cup debut in Pakistan in 2008, Rohit Sharma has played 22 games for India in the tournament. Rohit has run for 745 runs in the competition, averaging 46.56. Rohit got a century during the contest in addition to six half-centuries. He still needs 227 runs to beat Sachin Tendulkar as the all-time leading run scorer for India in the Asia Cup.
Mushfiqur Rahim: 699 runs
Veteran player and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim has been a mainstay in the team’s batting order ever since he made his international debut for Bangladesh. Rahim is the second-highest run-scorer in Asia Cup history among participants in the 2023 competition, a list that is dominated mostly by Bangladeshis and Indians. The 36-year-old wicketkeeper has played in 21 games and scored 699 runs since the 2008 Asia Cup. Rahim’s tournament average is 36.78. He has two centuries and two fifties to his name in the competition.
Virat Kohli: 613 runs
Former India captain Virat Kohli only participated in three 50-over Asia Cups, starting in 2010. Virat Kohli asked for a break during the 2018 edition in Dubai when India was captained by Rohit Sharma and defeated Bangladesh in the final match to win the trophy for a record-breaking sixth time. Virat Kohli’s best ODI score, 183 against Pakistan in 2012, was recorded during the same competition. Virat has only played 11 games and batted in just 10 innings in his three ODI Asia Cup outings, yet he has collected 613 runs at a remarkable average of 61.30 and three tournament-winning hundreds.
Tamim Iqbal: 519 runs
Another Bangladeshi player is among the top 5 run scorers in the match, which speaks to the progress made by the Bangladeshi team in the Asia Cup. Bangladesh has appeared in the Asia Cup final twice in the last three championships with a 50-over field. Tamim Iqbal made his Asia Cup debut in 2008 and has since appeared in 13 games. He has 519 runs with an average of 43.25, 6 fifty-plus scores, and 6 runs. Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s opener, will miss the upcoming competition in Pakistan and Sri Lanka due to an injury.
Shakib al Hasan: 402 runs
Bangladesh’s freshly chosen captain, Shakib Al Hasan, is a well-known figure in the Asia Cup competition. Shakib has been a member of the Bangladeshi team since 2010 when they last participated in the competition final in Dubai. Shakib has three fifty-plus scores and 402 runs at an average of 33.50 in his 13 Asia Cup games. Shakib, who is currently among the top 5 run scorers in the match, will try to help Bangladesh win the championship for the first time.