All-time top 5 bowling performances in Asia Cup

The wait is almost over as the biggest cricketing festival of Asia is all set to take the field in UAE from 15 September. This is the third Asia Cup that is set to be held in UAE and the first outside the subcontinent after 1995 edition.

All of five Asian Test playing nations will participate in this tournament and Hong Kong will also join them as they won the recently concluded Asia Cup qualifier in Malaysia. These six teams are divided into two groups. Defending champion India in group A with Pakistan and Hong Kong and runners-up Bangladesh in group B with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Tigers will take the field against Lions in the opening day of the tournament.

Now, on the eve of a new edition of Asia Cup, we had a deep look at the bowling performances in this tournament and found some exciting stats. Here we tried to sort out the all-time top five bowling performances in Asia Cup.

#5 Muttiah Muralitharan, 5 for 31, against Bangladesh

Sri Lanka v India - Commonwealth Bank Series

The Sri Lankan legend Muralitharan is the holder of the world record of taking most scalps in ODI history. He took 534 wickets playing 350 ODIs. So, his presence in the history of best bowling performances in Asia cup is an inevitable affair.

Muralitharan took five wickets against Bangladesh back in 2008 at Karachi, Pakistan, just conceding 31 runs with a maiden to his name.

Sri Lanka posted a huge total of 328 runs on that match with the help of two centuries by legendary Lankan-duo Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara. They made an opening stand of 201 runs.

While chasing this huge total Bangladesh got packed within 38 overs and 3 balls just scoring 174 runs. Bangladesh lost the match by a big margin of 158 runs. They were outplayed by Muralitharan as he took half of their batsmen.

#4 Ajantha Mendis, 5 for 22, against UAE

Sri Lanka v Netherlands - ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014

Ajantha Mendis was the spinner who made the cricket world astonished with his finger-flicked leg-breaks, and by doing that he took 5 wickets against UAE just conceding 22 in the Asia Cup, 2008.

And, he did this damage to UAE batting line-up by bowling only 6.3 overs. That was the real mystery of the spinner.

Sri Lanka batted first and scored 290 runs on that match in Lahore. UAE lost their all wickets just managing 148 runs on the board. They were totally rudderless in front of the mysterious bowling of Ajantha.

Ajantha’s career has stopped after he played 87 ODIs taking 152 wickets. He played his last ODI 2015 against New Zealand at Christchurch.

#3 Arshad Ayub, 5 for 21, against Pakistan

Arshad Ayub, the former Indian off-spinner.

Name of this Indian bowler is already forgotten as he last played his international match back in 1990. The right arm off-spinner is the holder of third best bowling record in the Asia Cup 1988 that was held in Bangladesh. He took five wickets conceding 21 runs against Pakistan.

Record six-time winner of Asia Cup, India won that match by 4 wickets as Pakistan got packed just scoring 142 runs in the first innings. Arshad was the best bowler for India. Pakistani batsmen were completely clueless to answer to the bowling of Hyderabad-born Arshad.

He played 32 ODIs and that was the only occasion when he registered a five-wicket haul. It means 5 wickets for 21 runs remains as the best bowling performance of his career.

#2 Aaqib Javed, 5 for 21 against India

Pakistan Training Session

Despite being one of the best effective bowlers of his age, Aaqib Javed spent most of his career under the shadow of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. But his name is still sparkling on the list of best bowling figures in the history of Asia Cup.

Aaqib disappointed India at Sharjah in 1995. Pakistan posted a safe total of 266 runs on the board and India got all-out within 42.4 overs scoring only 169 runs. Aaqib took both of Indian openers when there were only 11 runs on the board. His early scalps put India behind the race to win the game.

That bowling of Aaqib remains as second best of his career, and his best bowling is also against India when he took 7 wickets by conceding 37 runs at the final of Wills Trophy in 1991.

#1 and Ajantha Mendis again, 6 for 13 against India

England v Sri Lanka - 4th ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

Ajantha Mendis is only the second bowler after Lasith Malinga to take five or more wickets in the Asia Cup more than once, and his 6 for 13 against India in 2008 remains as best ever bowling performance in the tournament.

That was the final of Asia Cup 2008 when Sri Lanka posted a challenging total of 273 runs on the board with the help of 125 of Sanath Jayasuriya.

India went to chase it and failed while playing the mysterious spinner Ajantha. He made six Indian batsmen go back to dressing room conceding just 13 runs and helped Sri Lanka to win their fourth title of excellence of Asian Cricket.

Not only for the Lankan spectators, but that bowling effort of Ajantha is memorable for all cricket lovers as well.