Highest Individual Score in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20I Format)
Virat Kohli tops both the list.
The continental event has witnessed several batsmen making a name for themselves by letting their performances do the talking. When a batsman unlocks his full potential and scores a valuable inning, it is an immense source of pride for the batsman and the team because the knock contributes to the team’s success.
The first Asia Cup was played in 1984, and since then, several editions have been played. The tournament has witnessed only two T20I editions so far. Apart from that, the remainder of the editions were played in the form of ODI format. Several batsmen accomplished spectacular milestones and made their country proud in many ways.
Scoring a century in the marquee event is a testament to the batsmen’s consistency and longevity in the sport. The highest individual score is considered a pivotal achievement in cricket as it showcases the batter’s skill, form, and potential to perform under pressure and in clutch moments. Let’s go through the list of highest individual scores in Asia Cup history.
Highest Individual Scores in Asia Cup (ODI format):
| Player | Country | Runs | Balls | Opposition | Year |
| Virat Kohli | India | 183 | 148 | Pakistan | 2012 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 151 | 131 | Nepal | 2023 |
| Younis Khan | Pakistan | 144 | 122 | Hong Kong | 2004 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh | 144 | 150 | Sri Lanka | 2018 |
| Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 143 | 127 | India | 2004 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 136 | 122 | Bangladesh | 2014 |
| Sourav Ganguly | India | 135* | 124 | Bangladesh | 2000 |
| Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 131* | 152 | India | 1997 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 130 | 132 | India | 2004 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 130 | 88 | Bangladesh | 2008 |
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli brought the best out of himself during the Asia Cup 2012 match against the Pakistan cricket team. He was resolute and unwavering in his approach from the get-go as he went on to register 183 off 148 balls including 22 fours and a six. Notably, this is the highest individual score against an opponent in Asia Cup history. This knock helped India ace the run-chase of 330 as the Men in Blue won the game by six wickets in Mirpur.
2. Babar Azam
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam registered the second-highest individual score in Asia Cup history. He achieved the feat against Nepal in Multan wherein he scored 151 off 131 balls (14 fours, 4 sixes). Thus he became the fastest batsman to score 19 centuries in ODIs. His knock helped Pakistan post 342/6 in 50 overs. In reply, Nepal were skittled out for a mere 104. Babar Azam and Co won the game by a humongous margin of 238 runs.
3. Younis Khan
Younis Khan is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Pakistan largely benefitted from his work rate both in Tests and ODIs. He follows next on the list as he scored 144 off 122 balls (8 fours, 3 sixes) against Hong Kong in Colombo in 2004. His knock helped Pakistan post 343/5 in 50 overs. In reply, Hong Kong were bowled out for 165. Pakistan won the game by a big margin of 173 runs (D/L method).
4. Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim has been one of the batting mainstays of the Bangladesh cricket team. Whenever the top order failed to deliver, he often rose to the occasion and delivered the much-needed amends. He scored 144 off 150 balls (11 fours, 4 sixes) against Sri Lanka in the 2018 Asia Cup in Dubai. His impeccable knock helped the team post 261 runs. In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 124 runs as the Tigers won the game by 137 runs.
5. Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik who represented Pakistan across all three formats of international cricket delivered the goods for the team as a versatile all-rounder. He excelled as a batsman and off-spin bowler in his prime. The veteran cricketer scored 143 off 127 balls (18 fours, 1 six) which helped Pakistan post 300/9. On the other hand, Pakistan restricted Team India to 241/8 as the Green Shirts won the game by 59 runs.
Highest Individual Scores in Asia Cup (T20I format):
| Player | Country | Runs | Balls | Opposition | Year |
| Virat Kohli | India | 122 | 61 | Afghanistan | 2022 |
| Babar Hayat | Hong Kong | 122 | 60 | Oman | 2016 |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | 84 | 45 | Sri Lanka | 2022 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 83 | 55 | Bangladesh | 2016 |
| Sabbir Rahman | Bangladesh | 80 | 54 | Sri Lanka | 2016 |
1. Virat Kohli
During the Asia Cup 2022 event, Team India failed to bring the best out of themselves and subsequently crashed out of the Super 4 stage. However, Team India signed off the tournament by beating Afghanistan by 101 runs in their last game in UAE. Virat Kohli scored his maiden T20I century as he ended up scoring 122 off 61 balls (12 fours, 6 sixes). India posted 212/2 in 20 overs. In reply, Afghanistan ended up at 111/8 in 20 overs.
2. Babar Hayat
Babar Hayat smashed the fastest T20I century in the Asia Cup history. He scored a ton off 50 balls against Oman in the 2016 Men’s T20I Asia Cup. However, his compelling knock (9 fours, 7 sixes) came in a losing cause as his team lost to Oman by 5 runs in Fatullah. He is the first Hong Kong batter to score a T20I hundred. It is also the fastest ton by an associate player and the fourth fastest overall in the shortest format.
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Afghanistan batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz registered the third-highest individual score in the history of the continental event (T20I). He notched up 84 off 45 balls against Sri Lanka in the 2022 Men’s T20I Asia Cup in Sharjah. Gurbaz built his innings with the help of 4 fours and 6 sixes. His knock helped the Afghans post 175/6 in 20 overs. On the other hand, Sri Lanka chased down the target with 5 balls to spare and won the game by 4 wickets.
4. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma comes next on the list as he mustered 83 off 55 balls against the Bangladesh cricket team in the 2016 Men’s T20I Asia Cup in Mirpur. He hit seven fours and three sixes during his stay at the crease. India posted 166/6 in their designated quota of 20 overs. In reply, Bangladesh ended up at 121/7 and lost the game by 45 runs.
5. Sabbir Rahman
Bangladesh cricketer Sabbir Rahman registered the fifth-highest individual run score in the history of the Asia Cup (T20i). When the openers, Mohammad Mithun and Soumya Sarkar were dismissed for a duck, Sabbir Rahman took the onus on himself and scored 80 off 54 balls including 10 fours and 3 sixes. His innings helped the team post 147/7 in 20 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka ended up at 124/8, as the Tigers won the game by 23 runs in Mirpur.
Read More: Fastest Hundreds in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20I Format)
