Highest Run Scorer in Asia Cup – All-Time Records
The Asia Cup has featured many of the greatest batters in Asian cricket, including Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Since the tournament began in 1984, it has been played in both ODI and T20I formats, which makes all-format records especially interesting. Sanath Jayasuriya remains the highest run scorer in Asia Cup history with 1,220 runs, while Rohit Sharma is close behind with 1,210. Virat Kohli is third with 1,171 runs and owns the highest individual score in the tournament.
Highest Run Scorers in Asia Cup History
The table below combines performances from ODI and T20I Asia Cup matches.
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 25 | 1,220 | 53.04 | 6 |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | India | 37 | 1,210 | 41.72 | 1 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | India | 26 | 1,171 | 68.88 | 5 |
| 4 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 24 | 1,075 | 48.86 | 4 |
| 5 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 23 | 971 | 51.10 | 2 |
| 6 | Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 21 | 907 | 64.78 | 3 |
| 7 | Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh | 32 | 875 | 30.17 | 2 |
| 8 | Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 19 | 741 | 57.00 | 1 |
| 9 | MS Dhoni | India | 24 | 690 | 69.00 | 1 |
| 10 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 28 | 674 | 29.30 | 0 |
Jayasuriya still leads the list despite playing his final Asia Cup in 2008. Rohit and Kohli moved much closer to his record after playing in both ODI and T20I editions. Rohit finished only 10 runs behind Jayasuriya, while Kohli's average of nearly 69 shows how consistently he scored in the tournament.
Sanath Jayasuriya – 1,220 Runs
Sanath Jayasuriya remains the highest run scorer in Asia Cup history.
The Sri Lankan opener scored 1,220 runs from 25 matches at an average of 53.04 and a strike rate of 102.52. He registered six centuries and three half-centuries. No other batter has scored six Asia Cup hundreds.
Jayasuriya's attacking style made him particularly dangerous during an era when ODI scoring rates were much lower than today.
His best individual Asia Cup score was 130, which he reached twice. He made 130 against India in 2004 and another 130 from only 88 balls against Bangladesh in 2008.
The 2008 Asia Cup was his greatest individual tournament. Jayasuriya scored 378 runs, which remains the record for the most runs in a single edition of the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka also won the tournament, with Jayasuriya scoring 125 in the final against India.
Rohit Sharma – 1,210 Runs
Rohit Sharma is second on the all-time Asia Cup run-scoring list with 1,210 runs across ODI and T20I editions.
He played 37 matches and scored his runs at an average of 41.72. His record includes one century and 11 half-centuries.
Rohit's only Asia Cup century came during the 2018 ODI edition, when he scored an unbeaten 111 against Pakistan.
That tournament was especially successful for him. Rohit captained India to the championship and scored 317 runs from five innings at an average of 105.67.
His T20I performances added another 271 runs to his ODI Asia Cup tally, pushing his combined total to 1,210.
Rohit finished his Asia Cup career only 10 runs behind Jayasuriya's record.
Virat Kohli – 1,171 Runs
Virat Kohli is third with 1,171 runs, but his batting average is the most impressive among the leading run-scorers.
Kohli averaged 68.88 while scoring five centuries across ODI and T20I Asia Cups. His record includes 742 ODI runs and 429 runs in the T20I version.
His greatest Asia Cup innings came against Pakistan in 2012.
Pakistan scored 329/6, leaving India with a huge chase. Kohli responded with 183 from 148 balls, hitting 22 fours and one six. India won by six wickets with 13 balls remaining.
The 183 remains the highest individual score in Asia Cup history.
Kohli also owns the T20I Asia Cup record, having scored an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in 2022. He is therefore the highest individual scorer in both ODI and T20I Asia Cup cricket.
Kumar Sangakkara – 1,075 Runs
Kumar Sangakkara scored 1,075 runs in 24 Asia Cup matches and remains one of Sri Lanka's greatest tournament performers.
The wicketkeeper-batter averaged 48.86 and registered four centuries and eight half-centuries. His highest score was 121.
Sangakkara's consistency stands out. His 12 scores of fifty or more are among the highest totals in Asia Cup history.
Unlike Rohit and Kohli, Sangakkara played entirely during the ODI era, so all 1,075 of his runs came in 50-over cricket.
His ability to build long innings in the middle order made him one of Sri Lanka's most dependable batters during several successful Asia Cup campaigns.
Shoaib Malik – 907 Runs
Shoaib Malik is Pakistan's leading run-scorer in combined Asia Cup records with 907 runs.
He played 21 matches and averaged 64.78, scoring three centuries and four fifties.
Malik produced one of the tournament's greatest innings against India in the 2004 Asia Cup. He scored 143 from 127 balls, including 18 fours.
That remains one of the five highest scores in ODI Asia Cup history.
Malik was particularly effective against India, producing several important innings during his long international career.
MS Dhoni – 690 Runs
MS Dhoni scored 690 runs from 24 Asia Cup matches across the ODI and T20I formats.
His average of 69.00 is among the highest of any batter with a significant number of Asia Cup appearances.
Dhoni's best tournament score was an unbeaten 109 against Hong Kong in 2008. He faced only 96 balls and hit six sixes in that innings.
Dhoni's overall impact went beyond batting. He captained India to the 2010 ODI Asia Cup title and again led the team to the championship in the 2016 T20I edition.
He frequently batted lower in the order, which limited the number of innings available to him compared with openers such as Jayasuriya and Rohit.
Highest Individual Scores in Asia Cup History
The ODI format has produced the biggest scores in Asia Cup history.
| Rank | Player | Team | Score | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | India | 183 | Pakistan | 2012 |
| 2 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 151 | Nepal | 2023 |
| 3 | Younis Khan | Pakistan | 144 | Hong Kong | 2004 |
| 4 | Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh | 144 | Sri Lanka | 2018 |
| 5 | Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 143 | India | 2004 |
| 6 | Virat Kohli | India | 136 | Bangladesh | 2014 |
| 7 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 135* | Bangladesh | 2000 |
| 8 | Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 131* | India | 1997 |
| 9 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 130 | India | 2004 |
| 10 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 130 | Bangladesh | 2008 |
Kohli's 183 remains comfortably ahead of Babar Azam's 151 from the 2023 Asia Cup. Only those two players have crossed 150 in an ODI Asia Cup innings.
Most Runs in a Single Asia Cup Edition
| Player | Team | Edition | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 2008 | 378 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2012 | 357 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | India | 2018 | 342 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2018 | 317 |
| Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 2004 | 316 |
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 2025 | 314 |
| Shubman Gill | India | 2023 | 302 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh | 2018 | 302 |
| Mohammad Yousuf | Pakistan | 2000 | 295 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 2022 | 281 |
Jayasuriya's 378 runs in 2008 remain the highest aggregate in a single Asia Cup edition. Kohli came close with 357 in 2012, while Dhawan scored 342 during India's successful 2018 campaign.
The 2025 T20I edition produced another notable entry when Abhishek Sharma scored 314 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of exactly 200.00.
Sachin Tendulkar – 971 Runs
Sachin Tendulkar scored 971 Asia Cup runs from 23 matches.
He averaged 51.10 and registered two centuries and seven half-centuries. His highest score was 114.
Tendulkar played Asia Cup cricket over a period of more than two decades, from 1990 to 2012.
His consistency allowed him to remain among the tournament's leading run-scorers long after retirement. Even after Rohit and Kohli passed him, he remains fifth in the combined all-time list.
Mushfiqur Rahim – Bangladesh's Leading Run Scorer
Mushfiqur Rahim is Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in Asia Cup history.
He accumulated 875 runs from 32 appearances at an average of 30.17.
His finest innings came against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the 2018 tournament.
Bangladesh were in serious trouble after losing two early wickets, but Mushfiqur produced a superb 144 from 150 balls. Bangladesh eventually won the match by 137 runs.
At the time, his 144 was the joint-second-highest individual score in Asia Cup history.
Most Asia Cup Runs by Team Leaders
| Team | Leading Run Scorer | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Sanath Jayasuriya | 1,220 |
| India | Rohit Sharma | 1,210 |
| Pakistan | Shoaib Malik | 907 |
| Bangladesh | Mushfiqur Rahim | 875 |
| Afghanistan | Leading totals spread across modern players |
Sri Lanka and India dominate the overall batting leaderboard. Between them, they provide seven of the top 10 names.
Jayasuriya's record is particularly impressive because he played only ODI Asia Cups, while modern players have had additional opportunities through the T20I editions.
Why Sanath Jayasuriya's Record Is Still Special
Jayasuriya's 1,220-run record has survived despite major changes in the Asia Cup.
He played only 25 matches, compared with Rohit's 37, yet still scored 10 more runs.
He also recorded six centuries, the most in tournament history, and maintained a strike rate above 100 during an era when that was exceptional in ODI cricket.
His 378-run performance in 2008 also remains the largest single-edition total.
Those records show that Jayasuriya combined longevity with extraordinary peak performances.
Conclusion
Sanath Jayasuriya remains the highest run scorer in Asia Cup history with 1,220 runs from 25 matches. Rohit Sharma is second with 1,210, while Virat Kohli follows with 1,171.
Kumar Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar complete the top five, while Shoaib Malik remains Pakistan's leading scorer and Mushfiqur Rahim leads Bangladesh.
Jayasuriya also holds the record for most Asia Cup centuries with six and the highest single-edition aggregate with 378 runs in 2008.
Virat Kohli owns another major record with his 183 against Pakistan in 2012, the highest individual score in Asia Cup history. His unbeaten 122 in 2022 also gives him the highest score in the T20I version.
The Asia Cup has changed between ODI and T20I formats, but its all-time batting records continue to feature many of the greatest players Asian cricket has produced.
FAQs
Who is the highest run scorer in Asia Cup history?
Sanath Jayasuriya holds the record with 1,220 runs from 25 matches.
How many Asia Cup runs did Rohit Sharma score?
Rohit Sharma scored 1,210 runs across ODI and T20I Asia Cups.
How many Asia Cup runs did Virat Kohli score?
Virat Kohli scored 1,171 combined Asia Cup runs.
Who has scored the most centuries in Asia Cup history?
Sanath Jayasuriya holds the record with six centuries.
What is the highest individual score in Asia Cup history?
Virat Kohli holds the record with 183 against Pakistan in 2012.
Who has the highest T20I Asia Cup score?
Virat Kohli's unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in 2022 is the highest score in the T20I version of the tournament.
Who scored the most runs in a single Asia Cup edition?
Sanath Jayasuriya scored a record 378 runs during the 2008 Asia Cup.
How many Asia Cup runs did Kumar Sangakkara score?
Kumar Sangakkara scored 1,075 runs from 24 matches at an average of 48.86.
Who is Pakistan's highest run scorer in the Asia Cup?
Shoaib Malik leads Pakistan's combined Asia Cup run-scoring list with 907 runs.
Who is Bangladesh's highest Asia Cup run scorer?
Mushfiqur Rahim leads Bangladesh with 875 runs.
How many Asia Cup runs did MS Dhoni score?
MS Dhoni scored 690 runs from 24 Asia Cup appearances.
What was MS Dhoni's highest Asia Cup score?
Dhoni's highest score was 109 not out against Hong Kong in 2008.
How many Asia Cup runs did Sachin Tendulkar score?
Sachin Tendulkar scored 971 runs at an average of 51.10.
Who scored the most runs in the 2025 Asia Cup?
Abhishek Sharma finished as the leading scorer with 314 runs from seven matches.
Who scored the most runs in the 2023 Asia Cup?
Shubman Gill was the leading run-scorer in the 2023 ODI Asia Cup with 302 runs.
Rivcky John
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