The Asia Cup 2023 is gearing up to showcase the talents of outstanding players hailing from the Asian sub-continent. An exciting twist to this 16th edition is that both Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be sharing the honor of hosting the tournament. This marks a significant moment as it’s the first time in the history of the Asia Cup that two different nations will join hands as hosts.
There have been some incredible performances by renowned bowlers from the sub-continent in the history of the Asia Cup. Looking ahead to this year’s competition, we have a fresh generation of talented bowlers who might etch their names in history by being their country’s top wicket-takers in the 50-overs Asia Cup contests. It’s worth mentioning that Irfan Pathan holds the record for India, having taken 22 wickets in just 12 games. As the 2023 Asia Cup Starts, Ravindra Jadeja has a good opportunity to beat Irfan Pathan’s record and establish himself as India’s leading wicket-taker in the competition.
Shifting our focus to the all-time wicket-taking chart in the ODI Asia Cup, the renowned Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan stands tall with an astounding record of 30 wickets. His name is connected with greatness in the Asia Cup’s bowling history. As we anticipate this year’s event, we excitedly await to see if any bowler can come close to Muralitharan’s astounding record and engrave their own name in the records of Asia Cup excellence.
Let’s have a look at the list of the top active bowlers with the most wickets in the ODI Asia Cup:
1. Ravindra Jadeja – 19 wickets
Ravindra Jadeja, the seasoned Indian all-rounder, offers a plethora of expertise in the Asia Cup tournament. He commenced on his 50-overs Asia Cup odyssey back in 2010 and has since positioned himself as a significant asset in India’s limited-overs side.
Among the active cricketers, Ravindra Jadeja now stands as the premier wicket-taker. A compelling potential stands before him—a chance to overtake Irfan Pathan and etch his name as India’s all-time top wicket-taker in Asia Cup history. Across his Asia Cup odyssey spanning 14 matches, Jadeja has clinched 19 wickets.
2. Shakib Al Hasan – 19 wickets
Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, stands as one of the most seasoned players among the six competing teams in the upcoming Asia Cup. Since his debut in the tournament back in 2010, he has consistently shone as a remarkable asset for Bangladesh. Shakib’s influence isn’t limited to his impressive batting record; he has also delivered outstanding results as a bowler. Throughout the tournament, he has showcased his prowess in 13 matches, claiming an impressive tally of 19 wickets.
3. Kuldeep Yadav – 10 wickets
With Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion from the Indian squad, the spotlight now falls rightfully on Kuldeep Yadav’s shoulders. Team India sets its hopes on him to produce a performance similar to his 2018 Asia Cup prowess in the forthcoming event. Kuldeep Yadav’s involvement in the 2018 Asia Cup win was nothing short of exceptional. It’s worth noting that his career started in the 2018 edition, where he competed in five matches. Impressively, Kuldeep managed to bag 10 wickets while keeping an economy rate of 4.08 throughout the tournament.
4. Rashid Khan – 10 wickets
Rashid Khan, the talented leg-spinner from Afghanistan, provides a unique X-factor to his game that sets him apart. Back in 2018, he registered his debut in the 50-overs Asia Cup hosted in Dubai. During the group stage, Afghanistan scored victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while managing a stalemate against India. Notably, Rashid Khan was selected as the player of the match for his great effort against Bangladesh. Throughout the competition, he displayed his brilliance by emerging as the leading wicket-taker with an outstanding tally of 10 wickets in 5 matches. What’s more, his economy rate was simply astounding, standing at a measly 3.72 during the entire competition.
5. Mustafizur Rahman – 10 wickets
Mustafizur Rahman, the talented left-arm pace bowler from Bangladesh, has participated in just one 50-over Asia Cup throughout his career. It was in the Asia Cup 2018 where Mustafizur truly shined, emerging as Bangladesh’s standout performer and contributing significantly to his team’s journey to the tournament final. Over the course of the event, Mustafizur participated in five matches, demonstrating his skill and determination by securing a total of 10 wickets. Impressively, his economy rate throughout the competition stood at a commendable 4.4.
