Top 3 Highest Individual scores in Asia Cup history
The Asia Cup has always been a highly competitive and thus an interesting cricket tournament to watch for all cricket lovers from all corners of the world. All the participating nations try and give their best to prove the fact that they are the no.1 side in Asia. Players of each side give it their all to help their team prove their dominance and impact over the opposition on each occasion.
In the 38 years of Asia Cup's history so far, we've witnessed several incredible performances from several players who took their sides to memorable wins. Players on multiple occasions have dropped performances of great quality which later turned out to be match-winning contributions for their team. In most of the cases, it's been a recognised Batsman of the side that has led his team to victory all by himself with a massive individual score.
It's time for us to have a look at three of the highest individual scores notched up by players so far in the history of the Asia Cup so far:-
3. Shoaib Malik - 143(127) vs India (2004 Asia Cup)
One of the most memorable batting performances in the 2004 edition of the Asia Cup was from the bat of a Pakistani youngster at that time, Shoaib Malik. The right-hand batsman who came in to bat at No.3 early on after the fall of Imran Nazir started playing free-flowing strokes to all parts of the ground. He continuously kept the opposition bowlers under pressure with his attacking batting approach.
Though he didn't receive much assistance from the other top-order batsman, he held one end firmly and stitched crucial partnerships with the middle-order batsmen. He ended up smashing an incredible 143 off just 127 deliveries with 18 fours and a six. He scored almost half the runs for his side before helping them finish at exactly 300/9 in the 50 overs. Indian batsmen didn't stand a chance in the stiff run chase as they were handed a 59-run defeat by the bowlers.
2. Younis Khan - 144(122) Vs Hong Kong (Asia Cup 2004)
Another match-winning performance with the bat was seen back in Asia Cup 2004 when Younis Khan piled on the miseries of a clueless Hong Kong side. Pakistan after winning the toss and electing to bat first had both their openers back in the hut with just 51 runs on the board. Younis Khan who was in at no.4 stitched a fascinating 223-run partnership with Shoaib Malik to put Pakistan in the driver's seat.
Younis brought up a memorable century and receive able support from Shoaib Malik who also brought up three figures. Younis finished with 144 off 122 deliveries with the help of 8 fours and 3 sixes. Pakistan posted a mammoth target of 344 in 50 overs. The Hong Kong side didn't bother the Pakistani bowlers much as they were bundled out for 165 handing Pakistan a 173-run victory via the D/L method.?
1. Virat Kohli - 183(148) vs Pakistan (Asia Cup 2012)
Undoubtedly one of the greatest individual batting performances in the history of the Asia Cup came from the bat of Virat Kohli in the 2012 edition of the Asia Cup against arch-rivals Pakistan. Pakistan had posted a massive target of 330 for India to chase banking o centuries from both their openers, Hafeez and Jamshed. In response, India lost their opener Gautam Gambhir for sucking in the first over itself.
Virat Kohli who came in to bat at no.3 started building a steady partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. The partnership was eventually broken at 133 when Sachin was dismissed for 52. Virat however didn't stop piling on Pakistan's misery as he built another solid partnership, this time with Rohit Sharma.
Virat eventually brought up his magnificent 11th ODI ton and continued to take India ever so closer to the target. He scored a total of 183 runs off 148 deliveries with 22 fours and 2 sixes as India won handsomely by 6 wickets.
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