Asia Cup 2022: Top five bowling performances in the Asia Cup

Ajantha Mendis has been the superstar for Sri Lanka

Batters win you matches, but bowlers win you tournaments, as they say, is valid in all its senses. With the Asian championship looming large, the event has seen several high-class bowling performances. To look at a few, we have selected the top five from the history of this tournament.

5. Virender Sehwag 4/6 vs Bangladesh, 2010

Virender Sehwag bowled quite an extraordinary spell of 4/6 against the Bangladeshi side in 2010, which cleaned them up for just 167, helping India with a clinical win. However, for all the wickets he took, the most important and surprising thing was that he only bowled 17 deliveries to claim this feat.

Sehwag turned the chief destroyer with the ball in hand

4. Aaqib Javed 5/19 vs India, 1995

Scoring 266 in their 50 overs, Pakistan needed to defend the total against the masterful Indian side, but little did they know that Aaqib Javed's brilliance would make them surrender to just 169. Javed bowled magnificently to acquire the figures of 5/19 in nine overs claiming wickets of mostly top-order batters.

3. Lasith Malinga 5/34 vs Pakistan, 2010

He has produced phenomenal numbers for Sri Lanka in Asia Cup

Any bowling masterclass list is incomplete if Lasith Malinga's name is not included in it. It was 2010 when Sri Lanka were out to defend 242 against a high-flying Pakistan side led by skipper Shahid Afridi who notched up a hundred in that match but were still found short by 16 runs, thanks to a genius spell from Malinga, who claimed 5/34.

2. Arshad Ayub 5/21 vs Pakistan, 1988

Coming into bowl against a rampaging Pakistan batting line-up, Arshad Ayub delivered a spell of 5/21 to knock them over for just 142. He bowled two batters and claimed three leg-before wickets based on his accuracy. The off-spinner's spell ensured India an excellent victory by four wickets.

1. Ajantha Mendis 6/13 vs India, 2008

For the best bowling performance ever in the Asia Cup, Ajantha Mendis bowled his heart out to claim 6/13 against India in the Asia Cup Final 2008. Defending 273 for the prestigious title, the mystery spin of Mendis proved way too good for the Indian batting line-up summing up their innings on just 173. 

Mystery spinner destroyed India's batting

His classic will be remembered for a long-time to come as the variations were unreadable for the Indians.

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