Most centuries in Asia Cup: The all-time list

Who has the most centuries in Asia Cup?

The Asia Cup is where the Asian giants of the game collide and a century here means a lot. Not only in terms of prestige and statistics but also in terms of bragging rights over the neighbours. Some truly great batters have graced the tournament and they have entertained us with many memorable centuries. Here is a list of batters who have scored the most centuries in Asia Cup*

For batters with the same number of centuries, the ones who played the less number of games have been ranked above.

10. Sachin Tendulkar: 2 centuries in 23 games

The little master is the 3^rd highest run scorer of the tournament, but he sits 10^th on this list of most centuries in Asia Cup because he uncharacteristically couldn’t convert a few of the 7 half-centuries in the tournament into centuries. His first century came against Sri Lanka back in 1997 when he scored 112 off 107 balls. 

However fans will forever remember the moment that came in the 2012 Asia Cup, when he scored his century of centuries against Bangladesh. Although India lost the game, that almost seemed irrelevant in context to the Master blaster’s grand feat. 

 

9. Mushfiqur Rahim: 2 centuries in 21 games

Bangladesh wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim hit one of the most dramatic centuries in this list of most centuries in Asia Cup history, against Sri Lanka. In a whirlwind of a game, the pocket-rocket scored 144 runs as Tamim Iqbal famously came out to bat with one hand. Mushfiqur went berserk in the death, setting-up a famous win for bangladesh.

His other century came in Fatullah against India where he scored 117 of just 113 balls. However he ended up in the losing side as Indian captain Virat Kohli smashed a century of his own to guide India home

8. Younis Khan: 2 centuries in 14 games

Pakistan stalwart Younis Khan has a wonderful record in the tournament as he averages close to 50 and has a strike rate of 100.55, which is in stark contrast to his career strike rate of 75.29.  His greatest innings in this list of most centuries in the Asia Cup came against arch-rivals India in Karachi, when his 123 of 117 helped Pakistan chase down 309. His other 100 came against Hong Kong in 2004. 

7. Suresh Raina: 2 centuries in 13 games

Mr. IPL has an incredible record in the Asia Cup where he averages 60.77 and has a strike-rate of 113.95. Both his Asia Cup hundreds came in the same venue of Karachi, in the 2008 edition of the Asia Cup.

Against Bangladesh, he helped India chase down 284, a high score at that time. Raina Scored 116 off just 107 balls to steer Indian chase. His other century came against Hong Kong where India recorded a massive win.

6. Shikhar Dhawan: 2 centuries in 9 games

The Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan gets a special shout in this list as he scored 534 runs in just 9 games. He also has 2 fifties, showing how brilliant his record is in the Asia Cup. Both his centuries came in Dubai in the 2018 edition.

Against arch-rivals Pakistan, he made a mockery of the 238 target as Dhawan and opening partner Rohit both notched up tons in a 210 runs partnership. Dhawan scored 114 off 100 balls and was unfortunately run out. His other hundred came against Hong Kong.

5. Lahiru Thirimanne: 2 centuries in 8 games

While Thirimanne couldn’t scale the heights everyone expected him to do, he left a permanent mark of his undeniable talent in the Asia Cup stage. Both of them came against a strong Pakistan bowling line-up, in the 2014 edition in Bangladesh.

He scored 102 in the opening game of the tournament, a brilliant, stroke-laden innings. Then he went on to permanently set his name in the Asia Cup legends with a 101 in the final itself. However in both cases Lasith Malinga had taken the spotlight with 5 wicket hauls and MoTM accolades.

4. Shoaib Malik: 3 centuries in 17 games

The Pakistan great is one of the most prolific run scorers of the tournament and has the highest batting average in the list at 65.50. He scored his runs at a healthy strike rate of 90.65 and scored 3 fifties to go with his 3 hundreds as well. 

Two of his 3 hundreds came against eternal enemies India in 2004 and 2008 respectively. In 2004 he recorded his highest-ever ODI score of 143 off just 127 balls, to take Pakistan to 300, a target India failed to chase. 

In 2008 batting as an opener, he looked set to topple his best score but had to retire hurt after scoring 125 runs off 119 balls. Pakistan ended up on the losing side though as a ton from Virender Sehwag and a blazing 84 from MoTM Raina helped India chase down 300.

3. Virat Kohli: 3 centuries in 11 games

King Kohli’s remarkable record is all-encompassing, and the Asia Cup is no exception. He has scored a stunning 613 in the tournament, at an average of 61.30 and a strike rate close to 100. 

There are no surprises that the chase king’s two most famous centuries in the tournament came in chases. 

At Mirpur in 2012, a young Virat Kohli recorded his highest-ever ODI score as India chased down 330 against their biggest rivals Pakistan. Virat smashed 183 of 148 balls to take India to a comfortable victory.

In the next Asia Cup, he played another sublime knock against hosts Bangladesh in Fatullah. The stand-in skipper Kohli led from the front, guiding India in a tense chase with his 122 ball 136, taking his side to a victory with just six balls remaining. His other hundred came against Sri Lanka, this time batting first and again in a winning cause.

2. Kumar Sangakkara: 4 centuries in 24 games

The Lankan legend is among the only two players to score more than a thousand runs in the Asia Cup and has 8 fifties to go with his 4 centuries. He is also the only batsman in the tournament history to score 3 centuries in one edition, a feat he achieved in 2008.

One of his most memorable innings came in the 2014 edition against India however, when he scored a blistering 84 ball 103 to set up a thrilling chase of 265. Sri Lanka won with just 4 balls and 2 wickets remaining.

If we had to pick one innings out of the 3 wonderful ones he played in his brilliant 2008 campaign, we would pick the 112 off 110 he scored against Hosts Pakistan in Karachi. Sangakara’s century guided Sri Lanka to a 302 and a victory. 

1. Sanath Jayasuriya: 6 centuries in 25 games

Matara Hurricane, the man who revolutionized modern ODI batting in the powerplay, holds the record for most centuries in the Asia Cup. At a time when bowlers dominated, he had a strike rate of 102.52 in the tournament where he is also the highest scorer, with 1220 runs.

His most famous Asia Cup century came in the 2004 Final, where he demolished the Indian attack to score 125 runs off 114 balls, helping Sri Lanka lift the trophy. His highest-ever score, a blazing 130 off just 88 deliveries, came against Bangladesh in the Super 4 of 2008. 

He scored another damaging 83 balls 108 against Bangladesh in 1997, but his joint high score of 130 off 132 actually came in a losing cause in 2004 as MoTM Sehwag contributed with bat and surprisingly with the ball. 

Honourable mentions

Shahid Afridi: 2 centuries in 23 games

The former Pakistan captain holds the record for the fastest-ever hundred in the tournament, where he smashed a 53-ball century against Bangladesh in 2010 at Dambulla.  For his other century of the tournament, He smoked a strong Sri Lankan attack to reach a ton in just 68 balls in the same venue. There are no surprises then that Boom-boom has the highest ever strike rate in the tournament at 140.74.

Liton Das: 1 century in 6 games

Only 3 hundreds have been scored in the Asia cup finals after the turn of the century and Liton Das is the only batter to score one in a losing cause. In a thrilling match which India won with just 3 balls remaining, any other batter failed to even get a half-century. Liton won the MoTM with his 121 off 117 balls; the award must have felt like sour grapes as India celebrated victory. 

Final words

With the Asia Cup looming large, we will no doubt get to see more centuries as some batters will make into this list in the future. Keep an eye out for more Asia Cup content.