Asia Cup Records: Sportsrush presents before you a list of Five batsmen who average the best in Asia Cup.
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With the 14th edition of the Asia Cup commencing tomorrow with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka taking on each other in the opening match at Dubai, it is imperative to look at how some former and current players have done in the past.
Being played in UAE this year, one can expect the batsmen to have a say on the flat wickets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Although, the heat is likely to take a toll on them.
Talking of batsmen, observing the Top Five Batsmen with the Highest Career Batting Average in this tournament, one comes to know that out of the Top Five, two will be seen playing in this tournament as well. Below is the full list:
Since the last edition of the Asia Cup was T20I tournament, it has not been included in this piece.
5. Virat Kohli (India) – Had Virat Kohli been playing in this tournament, out of the Top Five, three would have been part of this tournament. Out of the these three current players, Kohli is the last one to make an Asia Cup debut (in 2010).
In the 11 matches that Kohli has played in the Asia Cup, he has scored 613 runs at an average of 61.30 and a strike rate of 97.14. He has scored three centuries and one half-century in these matches so far.
4. Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – In terms of years, Shoaib Malik will enter this Asia Cup as its most experienced player. Having made his Asia cup debut in 2000, he is the only player in this tournament who made his international debut before 2000 (1999).
However, Malik hasn’t played the tournament since 2010. Malik has played an overall 12 matches in the Asia Cup, scoring 575 runs at an average of 63.88 and a strike rate of 95.04. Just like Kohli, Malik has also scored three centuries and one half-century in the Asia Cup. If Malik scores 99 runs in this tourney, he will become the fifth-highest scorer in Asia Cup.
3. Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka) – The former Sri Lankan captain had made his Asia Cup debut in 1997 and played his last edition in 2004. Having played 13 Asia Cup matches, Atapattu has scored 642 runs at an average of 64.20 and a strike rate of 71.09.
2. Navjot Singh Sidhu (India) – Having made his Asia Cup debut in 1988 and played his last season in 1997, Sidhu had played 14 Asia Cup matches, scoring 530 runs at an average of 66.25 and a strike rate of 77.71. Sidhu had scored one century and sic half-centuries in the tournament.
1. MS Dhoni (India) – Former Indian captain and current wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni will be playing his fifth season of the Asia Cup. It is worth mentioning that Dhoni had missed the 2014 edition due to a side strain.
With the best batting average in the Asia Cup, Dhoni stands on top of the ladder, scoring 571 runs in 13 Asia Cup matches at a whopping average of 95.16 and a strike rate of 92.84. Dhoni has scored one century and three half-centuries in the tournament so far.
The Indian team would be wanting its senior-most player to stand tall on the expectations bestowed upon him. At a personal level, Dhoni is in line to break several records in the Asia Cup and also as a wicket-keeper batsman playing against Pakistan.
