The Asia Cup is an exclusive cricket tournament for Asian countries, featuring both men’s One Day International (50 overs) and Twenty20 International (20 overs) formats. Its origin dates back to 1984, following the formation of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Initially biennial, it later shifted to a quadrennial schedule.
From 2016 onward, the ICC introduced a rotation between ODI and T20I formats, aligning with upcoming ICC events. The batsmen’s performance significantly influences a team’s success. This article focuses on the top run-scorers in Asia Cup history.
The latest edition of the Asia Cup has unveiled its schedule, with the Pakistan team set to face Nepal in the opening match. The six participating teams are divided into two groups, and the leading two teams on the points table will advance to the Super Fours stage.
Top 5 Highest Run Scorer in Asia Cup ODIs
1- Sanath Jayasuriya – 1220 runs
Sanath Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka boasts the highest run tally in the Asia Cup’s One Day International format. His remarkable record showcases an impressive 1220 runs across 25 matches, highlighted by 6 centuries and 3 half-centuries. Jayasuriya’s dominance spanned from the 1990 edition to the 2018 edition, solidifying his position as the player with the most centuries (6) in the history of the Asia Cup.
2- Kumar Sangakkara – 1075 Runs
Claiming the second spot is Kumar Sangakkara, a standout among Sri Lanka’s premier batsmen renowned for his consistent scoring prowess. Across 5 editions spanning from 2004 to 2014, Sangakkara amassed a notable 1075 runs in 24 matches, which featured an impressive tally of 4 centuries and 8 half-centuries in his name.
3- Sachin Tendulkar – 971 Runs
Securing the third rank in this list is Sachin Tendulkar, who graced the Asia Cup stage from 1990 to 2012. As India’s top run-scorer in the tournament, Tendulkar’s batsmanship shone brightly. Accumulating a total of 971 runs across 23 matches, he maintained an impressive average of 51.10. Within this tally are 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries, marking his exceptional contributions to India’s Asia Cup campaigns.
4- Sohaib Malik – 786 Runs
Standing as the sole Pakistani representative within the top 10 list of highest run-scorers in Asia Cup history is Shoaib Malik. His participation spanned across all editions from 2000 to 2018. A testament to his batting prowess, Malik gathered a notable 786 runs from 17 matches, reflecting an impressive average of 65.50 and a striking strike rate of 90.65. Notably, his pinnacle performance of 143 runs was achieved against India in the 2004 contest.
5- Rohit Sharma – 745 Runs
Among the currently active players, India’s captain Rohit Sharma holds the distinction of being the highest run-scorer in the Asia Cup. Spanning his appearances from 2008 to 2018, Sharma compiled a commendable total of 745 runs over 22 matches, showcasing an impressive average of 46.56. Particularly notable is his role as India’s leader during their triumphant Asia Cup 2018 campaign.
Also read: Asia Cup 2023: Groups, Schedule, Squads, Live Coverage
Top 10 Batters With Most Runs in Asia Cup ODIs
In the present cohort of players, Rohit Sharma takes the lead with an impressive 745 runs. Following closely is his teammate and former Indian captain, Virat Kohli, who boasts 613 runs. Remarkably, Kohli and Sharma stand as the sole Indians to breach the 1,000-run mark in Asia Cup history. Below is the compilation of the top 10 highest run-scorers in the One Day International Asia Cup’s extensive chronicles.
| Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Batting Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 25 | 1220 | 130 vs Ban (2008) | 53.04 | 102.52 | 6 | 3 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 24 | 1075 | 121 vs Ban (2008) | 48.86 | 84.51 | 4 | 8 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 23 | 971 | 114 vs Ban (2012) | 51.10 | 85.47 | 2 | 7 |
| Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 17 | 786 | 143 vs Ind (2004) | 65.50 | 90.65 | 3 | 3 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 22 | 745 | 111* vs Pak (2018) | 46.56 | 84.94 | 1 | 6 |
| Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 19 | 741 | 121 vs Ind (1997) | 57.00 | 82.79 | 1 | 6 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh | 21 | 699 | 144 vs SL (2018) | 36.78 | 84.52 | 2 | 2 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 28 | 674 | 78 vs Ind (2012) | 29.30 | 87.64 | 0 | 7 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 19 | 648 | 109* vs HK (2008) | 64.80 | 87.68 | 1 | 3 |
| Aravinda de Silva | Sri Lanka | 24 | 645 | 96* vs Ban (2000) |
Top 5 Batters With Most Runs in Asia Cup T20Is
Leading the charts in the Asia Cup’s T20 format is India’s Virat Kohli, amassing an impressive 429 runs across 10 matches. His batting prowess is highlighted by a remarkable average of 85.80, with a notable peak of 122* against Afghanistan in 2022. Below, you’ll find the names of the top 5 highest run-scorers in the history of the 20-overs Asia Cup.
| Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Batting Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
| Virat Kohli | India | 10 | 429 | 122* vs Afg (2022) | 85.80 | 132.00 | 1 | 3 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 6 | 281 | 78* vs HK (2022) | 56.20 | 117.57 | 0 | 3 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 9 | 271 | 83 vs Bang (2016) | 30.11 | 141.14 | 0 | 2 |
| Babar Hayat | Hong Kong | 5 | 235 | 122 vs Oman (2016) | 47.00 | 146.87 | 1 | 1 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | 5 | 196 | 64* vs Ind (2022) | 65.33 | 104.25 | 0 |
