Asia Cup 2022 was contested between 6 sides. Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong were the 6 teams who participated. Pakistan and Sri Lanka made it to the finals, and Sri Lanka emerged victorious. In this blog, we will tell you about the top 5 bowlers who took the most wickets in that Asia Cup. We will also provide you with the tabular list of the 10 top wicket-takers in that tournament.
So, let’s start without any further ado.
1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The fast bowler started the tournament on a high. In India’s first match against Pakistan, he returned with the brilliant figures of 4 for 26 in 4 overs. This superb effort with the ball helped India to win the crucial game. In the second game, he had another fine outing against Hong Kong. He gave just 15 runs in 3 overs and got a wicket as well.
Bhuvi’s next match against Pakistan didn’t go well for him. He was taken for 10 an over in his spell of 4 overs and picked just one wicket. He then went wicketless against Sri Lanka and conceded 30 runs in 4 overs. Just like the start, the pacer also ended his campaign on a high note. He delivered a magical spell against Afghanistan as his 4 overs went for just 4 runs and brought 5 wickets.
Overall, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 11 wickets in 5 matches with a best of 5 for 4. His economy rate in the tournament was just 6.05, and he took a wicket every 10.36 balls. He gave just 10.45 runs for taking one wicket.
2. Wanindu Hasaranga
Sri Lanka had a forgettable start to the tournament as they lost to Afghanistan by 8 wickets with 59 balls to spare. But Wanindu Hasaranga bowled a fine spell of 3 for 19 in 3 overs to kickstart his tournament. The leggie then took a couple of wickets against Bangladesh but conceded 41 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
Sri Lanka faced Afghanistan again, and Hasaranga gave only 23 runs in his 4 overs. It helped his team to win this important game. The wrist-spinner had an ordinary outing against India as he returned with the figures of 39 for 0 in 4 overs. Against Pakistan, he got back to his best and took 3 wickets for 21 runs in 4 overs.
In the final, he bowled another top spell of 4 overs, 3 for 27. His consistency with the ball played a major role in Sri Lanka’s victorious campaign. In 6 matches, he bagged 9 scalps while going at 7.39 runs an over. His best figures were 3 for 21 in 4 overs, and every 15.33 balls bowled by him brought a wicket.
3. Mohammad Nawaz
The left-arm spinner took 8 wickets in 6 matches at a remarkable economy rate of 5.89. His best spell had the figures of 3 for 5, and he sent a batsman packing in every 14 balls.
In his first match against India, Nawaz took 3 wickets in 3.4 overs for 33 runs. He followed it with an extraordinary spell of 3 for 5 in 2 overs as the Hong Kong team was folded for 38. Then, he had a great outing against India as his 4 overs went for just 25 and brought an important wicket of Suryakumar Yadav.
Against Afghanistan, he gave only 23 runs for 1 wicket in his 4 overs. Nawaz bowled another economical spell of 0 for 21 in 4 overs against Sri Lanka. Surprisingly, he bowled only one over in the final, which went for 3 runs.
4. Shadab Khan
The leggie follows his fellow spinner on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in Asia Cup 2022. He started the event with an impressive spell of 0 for 19 in 4 overs. Then, he took 4 wickets against Hong Kong for just 8 runs in 2.4 overs. Shadab then took 2 wickets for 31 runs in 4 overs against India. His good form continued against Afghanistan as his 4 overs went for only 27 runs and brought one wicket.
In the final, he once again bowled an economical spell, returning with the figures of 28 for 1 in 4 overs. Shadab Khan took 8 wickets in 5 matches at the expense of 6.05 runs an over. He got a wicket every 14 balls, and his best spell had the figures of 4 for 8.
5. Haris Rauf
Image Source: Propakistani
The Pakistani fast bowler had a great tournament as he took 8 wickets in 6 matches. His economy rate of 7.65 was highly impressive as he bowled most of his overs in the powerplay or at the death. Every 15 balls bowled by him in Asia Cup 2022 brought a wicket.
Rauf didn’t start well as he went wicketless against India and gave 35 runs in 4 overs. Against Hong Kong, he was given just the one over, which went for 6. His ordinary run of form continued as his 4 overs leaked 38 runs for 1 wicket against India in the Super Four stage. He made a return to the form by picking 2 wickets against Afghanistan. He conceded only 26 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
He then took 2 wickets for 19 runs in 3 overs against Sri Lanka. Now, it was time for the final, and Rauf had a lot resting on his shoulders. He responded exceptionally well and dismissed 2 batsmen in his first couple of overs in the powerplay. He produced a spirited bowling performance of 3 for 29 in 4 overs.
Most Wickets In Asia Cup 2022– Top 10 Bowlers
Let’s take a look at the statistical summary of the performances of the top 10 wicket takers of Asia Cup 2022:
| Bowler | Country | Matches | Overs Bowled | Runs Given | Wickets Taken | Economy Rate | Average | Strike Rate | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | India | 5 | 19 | 115 | 11 | 6.05 | 10.45 | 10.36 | 5/4 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | 6 | 23 | 170 | 9 | 7.39 | 18.88 | 15.33 | 3/21 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | Pakistan | 6 | 18.4 | 110 | 8 | 5.89 | 13.75 | 14 | 3/5 |
| Shadab Khan | Pakistan | 5 | 18.4 | 113 | 8 | 6.05 | 14.12 | 14 | 4/8 |
| Haris Rauf | Pakistan | 6 | 20 | 153 | 8 | 7.65 | 19.12 | 15 | 3/29 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Afghanistan | 5 | 20 | 111 | 7 | 5.55 | 15.85 | 17.14 | 3/16 |
| Naseem Shah | Pakistan | 5 | 18 | 138 | 7 | 7.66 | 19.71 | 15.42 | 2/7 |
| Chamika Karunaratne | Sri Lanka | 6 | 16 | 145 | 7 | 9.06 | 20.71 | 13.71 | 2/27 |
| Pramod Madushan | Sri Lanka | 2 | 6.1 | 55 | 6 | 8.91 | 9.16 | 6.16 | 4/34 |
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 5 | 20 | 131 | 6 | 6.55 | 21.83 | 20 | 3/22 |
The Verdict
India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the most wickets (11) in Asia Cup 2022. The top 10 wicket takers of the tournament include 4 from Pakistan, 3 from Sri Lanka, 2 from Afghanistan, and 1 from India. This list includes 5 spinners and as many fast bowlers. Mohammad Nawaz was the only left-arm bowler on the list.
