Most Wickets in Asia Cup History (1984 – 2022)
Most Wickets in Asia Cup History – The bowler with the most wickets in the Asia Cup holds a prestigious record in the game of cricket. The Asia Cup, a continental championship played exclusively by Asian teams, crowns the champion of the continent. The inaugural edition of the tournament took place in 1984 in the United Arab Emirates, and since then, 14 more editions have followed, with the most recent one being held in 2022.
Also Read: Asia Cup Winners List, History, Runner-up
Over the years, many remarkable bowlers have left their mark in the Asia Cup by taking the most wickets. For cricket fans, the title of the highest wicket-taker in Asia Cup history is highly sought-after. The bowler with the most wickets in the Asia Cup holds a special place in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts and their achievement will be remembered for a long time.
Also Read: Most Successful Captain in Asia Cup History
When it comes to Asia Cup bowling and wicket-taking records, the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan holds the top position. Sanath Jayasuriya, who leads the Asia Cup batting records, also features among the top ten bowlers of the Asia Cup. The above list highlights the dominance of yesteryear Sri Lankan bowlers in the tournament.
Muralitharan has claimed the most wickets in the Asia Cup, with 30 to his name. Two other Sri Lankans follow him in second and third place. Together, these three bowlers have taken a total of six 5-wicket hauls in the tournament.
The record for most wickets in a single edition of the Asia Cup belongs to Mendis, who claimed a staggering 17 wickets in the 2008 edition of the tournament. This performance earned him the Man of the Series trophy that year. His 13/6 against India in the same year remains the best bowling figure in Asia Cup History.
Now, let us take a look at the top wicket-takers in the Asia Cup tournament.
Most Wickets in Asia Cup History
Edition | Player | Team | Year | Wickets |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Ravi Shastri | India | 1984 | 4 |
2nd | Abdul Qadir | Pakistan | 1986 | 9 |
3rd | Arshad Ayub | India | 1988 | 9 |
4th | Kapil Dev | India | 1990-91 | 9 |
5th | Anil Kumble | India | 1995 | 7 |
6th | Venkatesh Prasad | India | 1997 | 7 |
7th | Abdul Razzaq | Pakistan | 2000 | 8 |
8th | Irfan Pathan | India | 2004 | 14 |
9th | Ajantha Mendis | Sri Lanka | 2008 | 17 |
10th | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 2010 | 9 |
11th | Umar Gul | Pakistan | 2012 | 9 |
12th | Lasith Malinga, Saeed Ajmal | Sri Lanka, Pakistan | 2014 | 11 |
13th | Al-Amin Hossain | Bangladesh | 2016 | 11 |
14th | Rashid Khan, Mustafizur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India | 2018 | 10 |
15th | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | India | 2022 | 11 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2023
The list of highest wicket-takers in the Asia Cup will be updated once the 2023 edition of the tournament commences.
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2022
During the 2022 Asia Cup, Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed the most wickets in Asia Cup 2022, finishing with an impressive tally of 11 wickets. He was followed by Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga, who picked up 9 wickets, in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Innings | Wickets | Runs | Overs | BBI | Econ. | Ave. | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 5 | 11 | 115 | 19 | 5/4 | 6.05 | 10.45 | 1 |
Wanindu Hasaranga | 6 | 9 | 170 | 23 | 3/21 | 7.39 | 18.88 | 0 |
Mohammad Nawaz | 6 | 8 | 110 | 18.4 | 3/5 | 5.89 | 13.75 | 0 |
Shadab Khan | 5 | 8 | 113 | 18.4 | 4/8 | 6.05 | 14.12 | 0 |
Haris Rauf | 6 | 8 | 153 | 20 | 3/29 | 7.65 | 19.12 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2018
During the 2018 Asia Cup, Rashid Khan made history by becoming the first bowler from Afghanistan to take the most wickets in Asia Cup, finishing with 10 wickets in 5 innings. Along with him, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman and India’s Kuldeep Yadav also picked up 10 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Innings | Wickets | Overs | BBI | Econ. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rashid Khan | 5 | 10 | 46.1 | 46/3 | 3.72 |
Mustafizur Rahman | 5 | 10 | 42 | 45/4 | 4.4 |
Kuldeep Yadav | 5 | 10 | 58 | 45/3 | 4.08 |
Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 8 | 34.5 | 37/3 | 3.67 |
Ravindra Jadeja | 4 | 7 | 35 | 29/4 | 4.45 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2016
During the 2016 Asia Cup, which was the first-ever T20I format of the continental championship, UAE’s Amjad Javed made history by becoming the first bowler from his country to finish the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, claiming an impressive 12 wickets. Following him were Bangladesh’s Al-Amin Hossain and Mohammad Naveed, who picked up 11 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Mat | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amjad Javed | 7 | 12 | 3/25 | 14.08 | 7.34 | 11.5 | 12/30 | 0 |
Al-Amin Hossain | 5 | 11 | 3/25 | 12.18 | 7.96 | 9.1 | 12/30 | 0 |
Mohammad Naveed | 7 | 11 | 3/14 | 13.18 | 5.24 | 15 | 12/30 | 0 |
Mohammad Amir | 4 | 7 | 3/18 | 11.57 | 5.06 | 13.7 | 12/30 | 0 |
Nuwan Kulasekara | 4 | 7 | 3/10 | 13.57 | 6.33 | 12.8 | 12/30 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2014
During the 2014 Asia Cup, Lasith Malinga and Saeed Ajmal jointly claimed the Highest Wicket taker in Asia Cup 2014, finishing with a tally of 11 wickets each. Following them were Ajantha Mendis, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Mohammed Shami, who picked up 9 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Matches | Wickets | Overs | Runs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lasith Malinga | 4 | 11 | 34.5 | 189 | 5.42 | 17.18 | 5/52 | 0 | 2 |
Saeed Ajmal | 5 | 11 | 49 | 202 | 4.12 | 18.36 | 3/26 | 0 | 0 |
Ajantha Mendis | 3 | 9 | 26 | 126 | 4.84 | 14 | 4/60 | 1 | 0 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | 4 | 9 | 39.4 | 167 | 4.21 | 18.55 | 3/31 | 0 | 0 |
Mohammed Shami | 4 | 9 | 37.2 | 230 | 6.16 | 25.55 | 4/50 | 1 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2012
During the 2012 Asia Cup, Pakistani fast bowler Umar Gul emerged as the bowler with the most wickets, claiming 9 wickets in just 4 matches during the tournament. Following him were his compatriots Saeed Ajmal and Aizaz Cheema, who picked up 8 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Matches | Wickets | Runs | Average | SR | BBI | Economy | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Umar Gul | 4 | 9 | 208 | 23.111 | 24 | 3/58 | 5.778 | 0 |
Saeed Ajmal | 4 | 8 | 161 | 20.125 | 28.25 | 3/27 | 4.274 | 0 |
Aizaz Cheema | 4 | 8 | 196 | 24.5 | 24.75 | 4/43 | 5.939 | 1 |
Abdur Razzak | 4 | 6 | 154 | 25.667 | 40 | 2/26 | 3.85 | 0 |
Mashrafe Mortaza | 4 | 6 | 177 | 29.5 | 39.833 | 2/44 | 4.444 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2010
During the 2010 Asia Cup, former Sri Lankan pace spearhead Lasith Malinga claimed the most wickets, picking up 9 wickets in just 3 matches, including 1 five-wicket haul during the tournament. Following him were Indian bowlers Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan, and Praveen Kumar, who picked up 6 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Mat | Overs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lasith Malinga | 3 | 28.2 | 9 | 5/34 | 14 | 4.44 | 18.8 | 0 | 1 |
Ashish Nehra | 3 | 22 | 6 | 4/40 | 21 | 5.72 | 22 | 1 | 0 |
Zaheer Khan | 4 | 29.3 | 6 | 2/36 | 24.66 | 5.01 | 29.5 | 0 | 0 |
Praveen Kumar | 4 | 34 | 6 | 3/53 | 25 | 4.41 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
Farveez Maharoof | 3 | 24 | 5 | 5/42 | 27.2 | 5.66 | 28.8 | 0 | 1 |
Highest wicket-taker in Asia Cup 2008
Former Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis emerged as the bowler with the most wickets in the 2008 Asia Cup, claiming a whopping 17 wickets in just 5 innings during the tournament. Following him were his legendary compatriot Muttiah Muralitharan and Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir, who picked up 11 and 10 wickets respectively in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Innings | Wickets | Runs | Overs | BBI | Economy | Average | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ajantha Mendis | 5 | 17 | 145 | 42 | 6/13 | 3.45 | 8.52 | 2 |
Muthiah Muralidaran | 5 | 11 | 184 | 48 | 5/31 | 3.83 | 16.72 | 1 |
Sohail Tanvir | 5 | 10 | 241 | 42 | 5/48 | 5.73 | 24.1 | 1 |
Iftikhar Anjum | 5 | 9 | 210 | 43.4 | 3/51 | 4.8 | 23.33 | 0 |
RP Singh | 5 | 7 | 239 | 43 | 3/67 | 5.55 | 34.14 | 0 |
Abdur Razzak | 5 | 7 | 247 | 46.2 | 3/20 | 5.33 | 35.28 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2004
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan claimed the most wickets in the 2004 Asia Cup, picking up a remarkable 14 wickets in 6 matches during the tournament. Following him were the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Nuwan Zoysa, who picked up 12 and 10 wickets respectively in the list of highest wicket-takers.
Player | Matches | Balls | Wickets | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|
Irfan Pathan | 6 | 313 | 14 | 0 |
Sachin Tendulkar | 5 | 192 | 12 | 0 |
Nuwan Zoysa | 5 | 264 | 10 | 0 |
Shoaib Malik | 5 | 241 | 9 | 0 |
Mohammad Sami | 5 | 253 | 8 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 2000
During the 2000 Asia Cup, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq emerged as the bowler with the most wickets, claiming 8 wickets in just 3 games. Following him were Azhar Mahmood, Ajit Agarkar, and Arshad Khan, who picked up 5 wickets each during the tournament.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | S/R | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abdul Razzaq | 3 | 3 | 8 | 19.2 | 3.82 | 9.25 | 4/29 | 14.5 | 1 | 0 |
Azhar Mahmood | 4 | 4 | 5 | 30 | 3.53 | 21.2 | 3/24 | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Ajit Agarkar | 3 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 4.63 | 27.8 | 2/47 | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Arshad Khan | 4 | 4 | 5 | 38 | 3.68 | 28 | 2/42 | 45.6 | 0 | 0 |
Wasim Akram | 3 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 4.05 | 20.25 | 2/38 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1997
Former Indian fast-bowler Venkatesh Prasad claimed the most wickets in the 1997 Asia Cup, picking up 7 wickets in 4 games during the tournament. Following him were former Pakistan spin spearhead Saqlain Mushtaq and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, who finished with 6 wickets each in the list of highest wicket-takers in Asia Cup 1997.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | S/R | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Venkatesh Prasad | 4 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 6.07 | 17 | 4/17 | 20.5 | 1 | 0 |
Saqlain Mushtaq | 3 | 2 | 6 | 19.3 | 6.53 | 12.66 | 5/38 | 19.5 | 0 | 1 |
Sanath Jayasuriya | 4 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 6.27 | 24.5 | 4/49 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
Robin Singh | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 6.1 | 13.6 | 3/13 | 19.2 | 0 | 0 |
Chaminda Vaas | 3 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 7.57 | 19.4 | 2/32 | 26.4 | 0 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1995
In the 1995 edition of the Asia Cup, former India spin spearhead Anil Kumble emerged as the bowler with the most wickets, claiming 7 wickets during the tournament. He was followed by his compatriots Venkatesh Prasad and Aaqib Javed, who picked up 6 and 5 wickets respectively in the competition.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | S/R | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anil Kumble | 4 | 4 | 7 | 36 | 3.86 | 19.85 | 2/23 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 |
Venkatesh Prasad | 3 | 3 | 6 | 28 | 4 | 18.66 | 3/37 | 19.5 | 0 | 0 |
Aaqib Javed | 2 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 2.52 | 9.6 | 5/19 | 30 | 0 | 1 |
Saiful Islam | 3 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 4.54 | 20 | 4/36 | 19.2 | 1 | 0 |
Muttiah Muralitharan | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28.2 | 3.91 | 22.2 | 4/23 | 26.4 | 1 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1993
The 1993 Asia Cup had to be canceled due to political tension between India and Pakistan, where it was scheduled to be held.
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1990/91
During the 1990/91 edition of the Asia Cup, former India skipper Kapil Dev claimed the most wickets in the tournament. The World Cup-winning captain finished with a tally of 9 wickets, ahead of his compatriot Atul Wassan and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Ratnayake in the list of highest wicket-takers in Asia Cup 1990/91.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Ave. | Econ. | BBI | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kapil Dev | 3 | 3 | 9 | 26.2 | 10.66 | 3.64 | 4/31 | 1 | 0 |
Atul Wassan | 3 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 20.8 | 3.85 | 3/28 | 0 | 0 |
Rumesh Ratnayake | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 3.91 | 3/24 | 0 | 0 |
Sanath Jayasuriya | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 30.33 | 4.55 | 2/39 | 0 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1988
The third edition of the Asia Cup saw Arshad Ayub emerge as the bowler with the most wickets, claiming 9 wickets during the tournament. Kapila Wijegunawardene of Sri Lanka and Ravi Ratnayeke finished second and third in the list of highest wicket-takers with 8 and 7 wickets respectively.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Ave. | Econ. | BBI | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arshad Ayub | 4 | 4 | 9 | 36 | 13.33 | 3.33 | 5/21 | 0 | 1 |
Kapila Wijegunawardene | 4 | 4 | 8 | 32 | 16.5 | 4.12 | 4/49 | 1 | 0 |
Ravi Ratnayeke | 4 | 4 | 7 | 34 | 18.85 | 3.88 | 4/23 | 1 | 0 |
Kapil Dev | 4 | 4 | 6 | 28.2 | 16.5 | 3.49 | 2/16 | 0 | 0 |
Abdul Qadir | 3 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 17 | 3.92 | 3/27 | 0 | 0 |
Most wickets in Asia Cup 1986
During the second edition of the Asia Cup held in 1986, Pakistani cricketer Abdul Qadir claimed the most wickets in Asia Cup 1986, finishing the tournament with 9 wickets in just 3 games. Following him were Sri Lanka’s Kaushik Amalean and Ravi Ratnayeke, who both picked up 7 wickets each during the competition.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | S/R | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abdul Qadir | 3 | 3 | 9 | 24.2 | 2.91 | 7.88 | 3/15 | 16.2 | 0 | 0 |
Kaushik Amalean | 3 | 3 | 7 | 25 | 3.64 | 13 | 4/46 | 21.4 | 1 | 0 |
Ravi Ratnayeke | 3 | 3 | 7 | 26 | 4.73 | 17.57 | 3/32 | 22.22 | 0 | 0 |
Wasim Akram | 3 | 3 | 4 | 22.2 | 2.59 | 14.5 | 4/19 | 33.5 | 1 | 0 |
Manzoor Elahi | 3 | 3 | 4 | 23 | 3.04 | 17.5 | 3/22 | 34.5 | 0 | 0 |
Arjuna Ranatunga | 3 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 3 | 20.25 | 2/17 | 40.5 | 0 | 0 |
Zakir Khan | 3 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 5.1 | 24.25 | 3/34 | 28.5 | 0 | 0 |
Most Wickets in Asia Cup 1984
In the first edition of the Asia Cup held in 1984, former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri emerged as the bowler with the most wickets. The former India coach claimed 4 wickets in just 2 games during the tournament. His fellow countryman, Madan Lal, and Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga were ranked second and third in the list of highest wicket-takers in Asia Cup 1984.
Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Overs | Econ. | Ave. | BBI | S/R | 4WI | 5WI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ravi Shastri | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 3.11 | 13.25 | 3/40 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 |
Madan Lal | 2 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 2.28 | 10.66 | 3/11 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
Arjuna Ranatunga | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3.8 | 12.66 | 3/38 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
Chetan Sharma | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 2.66 | 13.33 | 3/22 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Roger Binny | 2 | 2 | 3 | 16.4 | 3.48 | 19.33 | 3/33 | 33.3 | 0 | 0 |
Most Wickets in Asia Cup (T20 Format)
Bowlers | Wickets | Matches | Best Bowling | 4 Wickets-Haul |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (IND) | 13 | 6 | 4/5 | 2 |
Amjad Javed (UAE) | 12 | 7 | 25/3 | 0 |
Al-Amin Hossain (BAN) | 11 | 5 | 25/3 | 0 |
Mohammad Naveed (UAE) | 11 | 7 | 14/3 | 0 |
Hardik Pandya (IND) | 11 | 8 | 8/3 | 0 |
Rashid Khan (AFG) | 11 | 8 | 22/3 | 0 |
Hasaranga de Silva (SL) | 9 | 6 | 21/3 | 0 |
Shadab Khan (PAK) | 8 | 5 | 8/4 | 1 |
Haris Rauf (PAK) | 8 | 6 | 29/3 | 0 |
Mohammad Nawaz (PAK) | 8 | 8 | 5/3 | 0 |
Most Wickets in Asia Cup (ODI Format)
Bowlers | Wickets | Matches | Best Bowling | 4 Wickets-Haul |
---|---|---|---|---|
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 30 | 24 | 31/5 | 1 |
Lasith Malinga (SL) | 29 | 14 | 34/5 | 3 |
Ajantha Mendis (SL) | 26 | 8 | 13/6 | 2 |
Saeed Ajmal (PAK) | 25 | 12 | 26/3 | 0 |
Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 23 | 19 | 30/3 | 0 |
Irfan Pathan (IND) | 22 | 12 | 32/4 | 0 |
Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 22 | 21 | 49/4 | 0 |
Abdur Razzak (PAK) | 22 | 18 | 17/3 | 0 |
Ravindra Jadeja (IND) | 19 | 14 | 29/4 | 0 |
Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 19 | 13 | 42/4 | 0 |