Asia Cup: Top 5 Wicket Takers
The Asia Cup brings together teams from different cricketing nations in Asia, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other associate members. These teams have a rich cricketing history and fierce rivalries, making the tournament highly anticipated among fans. Matches between traditional rivals like India and Pakistan often attract a massive viewership.
This year’s Asia Cup has an ODI format and it will be a ground of preparation for all the participating teams for the upcoming ODI World Cup. It is an opportunity to fine-tune their strategies, assess their team combinations, and identify strengths and weaknesses ahead of the ODI World Cup.
Bowlers have the responsibility of restricting the opposition’s scoring rate. In limited-overs cricket, where the Asia Cup is typically played, a good bowling performance can effectively contain the batting team’s run flow. In this article, we have compiled a list of the most wicket-takers in the Asia Cup.
1) Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 11 Wickets
One of the best bowlers from the Indian sub-continent, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, tops the chart with 11 wickets in just 5 matches of the Asia Cup. He has represented India in multiple editions of the Asia Cup and has had notable performances in the tournament. In the 2014 Asia Cup held in Bangladesh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played a vital role in India’s successful campaign.
He displayed excellent swing bowling skills and was among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament. During the 2018 tournament, when India lifted the trophy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played a crucial role maintain a good line and length making him a challenging bowler for the opposition batsmen.
2) Wanindu Hasaranga – 9 Wickets
In limited-overs cricket, Wanindu Hasaranga has been particularly impressive. He is known for his leg-spin bowling, accurate variations, and ability to pick up crucial wickets. Hasaranga has consistently troubled batsmen with his googlies, flippers, and well-disguised deliveries. When it comes to the Asia Cup format, Hasaranga has picked up 9 wickets in 6 Asia Cup matches he has been part of. Even though the Sri Lankan cricket team is going through a troubled time, Hasaranga has come out as a ray of hope who will inspire the young generation of the country.
3) Mohammad Nawaz – 8 Wickets
Nawaz is primarily known for his left-arm spin bowling. He has displayed good control over his deliveries, often maintaining tight lines and lengths to build pressure on batsmen.
He possesses the ability to vary his pace, flight, and trajectory, making it challenging for batsmen to score freely against him. In the Asia Cup format, Nawaz has picked up 8 wickets in 6 matches but the expectations are higher from him for the upcoming Asia Cup tournament. Nawaz has been effective in both limited-overs cricket and Test matches, taking crucial wickets and providing important breakthroughs for Pakistan.
4) Shadab Khan – 8 Wickets
As a leg-spin bowler, Shadab Khan has displayed exceptional talent and maturity at a young age. He has been successful in both limited-overs cricket and Test matches. Shadab possesses good control over his variations, including googlies, flippers, and well-disguised deliveries. In addition to his bowling, Shadab Khan has shown his abilities as a batsman.
He is known for his aggressive stroke play and ability to score quick runs. Shadab has played crucial innings lower down the order, helping to stabilize Pakistan’s innings or provide a late flourish. Since his debut in the Asia Cup, Shadab has picked up 8 wickets in 5 matches of the tournament.
5) Haris Rauf – 8 Wickets
The newest member of the Pakistan cricket team, Haris Rauf, has already made it to the list with his exceptional potential as a fast bowler. He is known for his express pace and ability to generate bounce, which makes him a challenging proposition for batsmen. Rauf has been effective in bowling aggressive, short-pitched deliveries, using his raw pace to unsettle batsmen. He has been part of 5 Asia Cup fixtures and has picked up 8 wickets in the tournament.