Asia Cup 2018: 5 best performances by Bangladesh batsmen in Asia Cup

The Asian cricket fraternity eagerly waiting for the Asia Cup 2018. Unlike the previous edition, the most awaited cricket tournament of Asia will be played in 50-over format this time. So, the romance, excitement and uncertainty of this event already at the highest possible level.

All of five Asian Test playing nations will be part of the event and winner of Asia Cup qualifier will also join in. These six teams will lock horns by dividing into two groups. Each group contains three teams. In the A group, defending champion India will fight against Pakistan and the qualifier winner, and in the group B, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will fight each other.

On the eve of the tournament, we will have a deep look at the history of Bangladesh in Asia Cup. They have only four wins out of 37 matches. Best memory of Bangladesh in Asia Cup remains their two final appearances. One was back in 2012 when they lost to Pakistan by a tiny margin of two runs, and another came in 2016 when they were outplayed by India.

Despite this poor record, Bangladesh has some individual performances in Asia Cup to cheer about. We took the opportunity to talk about top 5 batting performance of Bangladeshi batsman in Asia Cup.

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#5 Junaid Siddique 97, against Pakistan

Bangladesh v Pakistan - Twenty20 Super Eights

Junaid Siddique is already a forgotten batsman of Bangladesh. Despite playing 80 international matches for the country across formats, he was unable to make his name memorable. But, when we looked back to the history, we found him as an only third batsman of Bangladesh to score an innings of 90 plus runs in the Asia Cup.

Junaid scored 97 against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2010, that was held in Sri Lanka. Pakistan posted a huge total of 385 runs, thanks to a century by Shahid Afridi and Bangladesh were packed up for just 246 runs, resulting in a defeat by a margin of 139 runs.

Despite the defeat, Junaid’s batting was like a wind of serenity to the Bangladeshi dressing room.

#4 Anamul Haque 100, against Pakistan

Anamul Haque scored his second ODI ton against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2014.

Anamul Haque started off his career on a great note as he scored his maiden ODI ton in just his second appearance wearing the red-green jersey. But, he failed to maintain that adventure and stumbled away from the highway of cricket.

Anamul’s early glimpse still remains in Asia Cup history. He is the last Bangladeshi centurion in Asia Cup till the date.

In 2014, Asia Cup, Anamul hit a ton against Pakistan in Mirpur. Bangladesh posted 326 on the board before Shahid Afridi ruined the show for the home fans by scoring a 25-ball-59.

The 2014 Asia Cup remains as a painful memory for Bangladesh. They lost to Afghanistan in that event at Fatullah too.

#3 Mohammad Ashraful 109, against UAE

Ireland v Bangladesh - ICC Twenty20 World Cup

Name of Mohammad Ashraful is unavoidable in the history of Bangladesh cricket, and this is same when you look back at the Tigers’ Asia Cup history. Ashraful made his name irreplaceable by hitting the very first hundred in Asia Cup by a Bangladeshi batsman back in 2008 at Lahore, Pakistan.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first against UAE on the opening match of Asia Cup 2008, and they scored 300 runs, thanks to a century from captain Ashraful.

UAE bowled out just scoring 204 on the board. Bangladesh won that match by 96 runs. That match is the only second instance of a Bangladeshi win in Asia Cup. Their first Asia Cup win came against Hong Kong back in 2004.

#2 Alok Kapali 115, against India

South Africa v Bangladesh - ICC Twenty20 World Championship

Bangladeshi batsmen have only two centuries against India. Can you guess the name of batsman who did it as first?

You have to look back to 2008 Asia Cup again to see the name, and the batsman is Alok Kapali who is according to the common belief in Bangladesh, an unfortunate waste of talent. In the present age of video sharing, you may watch the innings of Alok against the bowlers like RP Singh, Ishant Sharma.

Bangladesh posted 283 on the board. Alok was the main batsman to help Tigers to score that high scoring 115 by 96 balls with 10 fours and five sixes to his name. That innings of Alok is still believed as best batting show by a Bangladeshi in the Asia Cup.

But, the expected party of Bangladesh ruined by professional batting effort of Gautam Gambhir’s 90 and Suresh Raina’s 115*. Bangladesh lost by 7 wickets.

#1 Mushfiqur Rahim 117, against India

Bangladesh v India - ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014

So, both the hundreds of Bangladeshi batsman against India came in Asia Cup. First one was by Alok and the second one by Mushfiqur Rahim in 2014.

The match was a battle of captains when Bangladesh posted 279 on the board by the help of their captain Mushfiqur Rahim’s wonderful knock of 117 runs, and this effort of Bangladesh was denied by India with 136 runs from their captain Virat Kohli.

India won the match by six wickets with six balls remaining. Despite that defeat, Mushfiqur Rahim’s effort is still memorable.