This edition of the Asia Cup is going to be the 17th edition of the competition. The Asia Cup 2025 starts on the 9th of September, whereas it will end on the 28th of September. Basically, the United Arab Emirates is the host for the Asia Cup 2025. The main question is who has the most 5-wicket innings in Asia Cup history, and can that record be broken in 2025?
When we look at the top wicket taker in the Asia Cup history, it is the great Sri Lankan and cricketing legend, Muthiah Muralidaran. He has 30 wickets in the competition, but only one five-wicket haul. When we look at the last two seasons of the Asia Cup, once it was played in the T20 format and once in the 50-over format.
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Who has the most 5-wicket innings in Asia Cup history, and can that record be broken in 2025?
Lasith Malinga is a bowler to take the most 5-wicket innings in Asia Cup history. He has taken five 5-wicket hauls three times in a single innings in the Asia Cup. The very first time he took a five-wicket haul in the Asia Cup was in the 2010 edition against Pakistan. He had the bowling figures of 5/34, which is also his best figures in the Asia Cup. The next two five-wicket hauls came in the same edition of the Asia Cup, which was in 2014. Again, two of the five-wicket hauls came against Pakistan. One came in the final (5/56) of the 2014 Asia Cup, which Sri Lanka won.
The player second to him is his fellow teammate, Ajantha Mendis, who has two five-wicket hauls in the Asia Cup. One was the famous 6/13, which came against India in the 2008 Asia Cup final. This is also the best bowling figures in the competition. Certainly, players such as Mohammed Siraj, Muthiah Muralidaran, Saqlain Mushtaq, Kuldeep Yadav, Farveez Maharoof, Aaqib Javed, and Arshad Ayub are some of the other players to take 5-five hauls in the Asia Cup 50-over format. India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the only player to take five wickets in a single match in the T20 format of the Asia Cup.
There are almost no chances for any bowler to break Lasith Malinga’s record for the most five-wicket hauls. One of the reasons has to be the format, as only 24 balls will be available for a bowler to take a wicket, which is tough. From the current team squads, only Kuldeep Yadav has a five-wicket haul in the Asia Cup. His chances of playing each match in the competition are less, but surely anything can happen in cricket.
Top Bowlers by Five-Wicket Hauls in Asia Cup History
| Position | Player | 5-Wicket Hauls | Figures | Opponent | Year | Result | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lasith Malinga | 3 | 5/34 | Pakistan | 2010 | Won | ODI |
| 2 | Ajantha Mendis | 2 | 6/13 | India | 2008 | Won | ODI |
| 3 | Arshad Ayub | 1 | 5/21 | Pakistan | 1988 | Won | ODI |
| 4 | Aaqib Javed | 1 | 5/19 | India | 1995 | Won | ODI |
| 5 | Saqlain Mushtaq | 1 | 5/29 | Bangladesh | 1997 | Won | ODI |
| 6 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 1 | 5/31 | Bangladesh | 2008 | Won | ODI |
| 7 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 1 | 5/4 | Afghanistan | 2022 | Won | T20 |
| 8 | Mohammad Sami | 1 | 5/22 | Bangladesh | 2008 | Won | ODI |
| 9 | Wahab Riaz | 1 | 5/24 | India | 2010 | Lost | ODI |
| 10 | Shoaib Akhtar | 1 | 5/37 | Sri Lanka | 1997 | Won | ODI |
Also Check: Asia Cup Top 5 best bowling figures of all time
