Mosaddek, Shanaka, Suryakumar, Rizwan, Kohli (Source: @ICC, @BCCI/X.com)
Asia Cup has always been a prestigious, multilateral, continental tournament where teams from different nations participate to achieve glory for their country. In the preceding events, teams have often piled up plenty of runs with the bat as they managed to achieve total dominance over their opposition.
With the upcoming Asia Cup a few days away, to be played in the T20 format, there are expected to be plenty of high totals likely to be recorded during this high-profile tournament. Therefore, in this article, we will re-look at the top five highest scores ever achieved in T20 Asia Cup history.
5) 183/7 By Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Dubai, 2022
The fifth-highest score in Asia Cup T20 history was achieved by Bangladesh back in 2022 against Sri Lanka in Dubai. It was the fifth match of Group B, which was played in Dubai. The Bangladesh side batted first and piled up 183 runs for the loss of seven wickets, with Mosaddek Hossain's leading knock of 24 runs from 9 deliveries, where he remained unbeaten, helping Bangladesh pile up this total.
Meanwhile, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (38) and Afif Hossain (39) helped Bangladesh with some mighty blows in the middle, as both of them smacked two sixes apiece. The Bangla Tigers achieved this total, despite Maheesh Theekshana going for under six runs an over, as he only gave away 23 runs in his four-over spell while bagging a wicket.
Whereas Asitha Fernando (1 for 51) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2 for 41) proved a tad bit expensive in their respective four overs.
4) 184/8 By Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Dubai, 2022
Interestingly enough, the fourth-highest score was achieved by Bangladesh's opposition in the last game: Sri Lanka, as they chased the total of 184 down in just 19.2 overs. With what was expected to be a tough chase, Sri Lanka proved they could achieve what they did in this encounter, as they started off brilliantly, losing their first wicket for 45. Kusal Mendis scored a brilliant 60 off 37 deliveries as he smashed three boundaries.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka played a knock to remember, scoring 45 off 33 balls with two sixes to his name. In the end, it was Chamika Karunaratne scoring 16 off 10 deliveries, while Asitha Fernando's three-ball 10 not out helped Sri Lanka ace the chase, where they won by two wickets in a tense encounter with four deliveries to spare.
Termed as the "Naagin" rivalry, this game lived up to its expectations, as both sides were never willing to give up, where eventually, the Lankan Lions emerged victorious in a high-scoring thriller.
3) 192/2 By India vs Hong Kong, Dubai, 2022
The third-highest total recorded in Asia Cup T20 history was scored by India, when they played Hong Kong in the fourth match of the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup in Dubai. India batted first and summed up with a massive 192 for two after the conclusion of the 20 overs, where the run rate was exceedingly well at 9.60.
KL Rahul and skipper Rohit Sharma had a decent start, where they scored 36 and 21, respectively. Then came Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, who together forged an unbeaten partnership that took India's score from 94 for 2 to 192 for 2, without losing any other wickets, as their 98-run stand for the third wicket proved fruitful.
Kohli scored a brilliant 59, not out, off 44 deliveries, while Suryakumar Yadav was on fire with the bat, scoring 68, not out, off 26 balls, including 6 boundaries and as many maximums, while batting at a strike rate of 261.53. Hong Kong, in reply, reached 152, but couldn't reach home, as India completed a comprehensive victory by 40 runs.
2) 193/2 By Pakistan vs Hong Kong, Sharjah, 2022
The second-highest score in Asia Cup T20 history was also achieved against Hong Kong, but this time, against Pakistan. It was the sixth match of the Asia Cup 2022 in Sharjah, where Hong Kong played against Pakistan in Group A. Pakistan, batting first, thrashed 193 for the loss of just 2 wickets, one more than what India scored.
Opener Mohammad Rizwan played a fighting 78, not out, off 57 balls, including 6 boundaries and one six, while he was very well supported by Fakhar Zaman (53) and Khushdil Shah (35* off 15 balls), as Pakistan never looked back.
It was especially Khushdil who ended up scoring five maximums in his 15-ball juggernaut, taking Pakistan to a mighty total, which proved way too big for the Hong Kong team, as they were cleaned up for a paltry 38, where Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz picked four and three wickets, respectively, as Pakistan won by a mammoth margin of 155 runs.
1) 212/2 By India vs Afghanistan, Dubai, 2022
Finally, the highest total ever achieved in the Asia Cup was also in the 2022 edition, when India were playing Afghanistan in the Super 4 match in Dubai. It was India's turn to bat first, where the opener, KL Rahul, who was leading the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma, scored a blistering 62 off 41 deliveries.
But the real limelight came on the Indian legendary batter, Virat Kohli, who stayed unbeaten after facing 61 deliveries, as he registered his maiden and only T20I century, scoring an unbeaten 122 with 12 boundaries and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 200. Thanks to Kohli's legendary knock, India went on to score a gigantic 212 for the loss of only 2 wickets, where the Afghan bowlers were smacked all around the park.
Kohli, meanwhile, was coming off a lean patch previously, not scoring as many runs as he would have liked, but this knock changed everything for the star Indian batter.
Later, in response, Afghanistan went on to score just 111 for the loss of eight wickets after the end of their 20 overs, where Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a spell from hell, picking five wickets for just four runs in his four overs, as he delivered 20 dot balls. India won this game very confidently by 101 runs, where Kohli remained in the spotlight for his impressive outing for the Men in Blue.
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