While cricket is a complete team game, almost every player carries certain roles successfully to guide the team to lift a trophy.
But a Player of the Tournament still has been awarded due to the player’s extraordinary dominance throughout the tournament.
Here, we are going through all the Player of the Tournaments in the Asia Cup history (including ODI and T20I formats).
Article Contents
List of the Player of the tournaments
Specials in Player of the Tournaments
>> First player to win the award
>> Win the awards multiple times
>> Asia Cup without a Player of the Tournament award
>> Wicketkeeper to win the award
>> Captain to win the award
>> Specialist bowler to win the award
>> Win the award without playing a Final
Asia Cup: Player of the Tournaments
Year | Format | Player (Team) | Performance Details |
1984 | ODI | Surinder Khanna (India) | 107 runs |
1986 | ODI | Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka) | 105 runs & 4 wickets |
1988 | ODI | Navjot Sidhu (India) | 179 runs |
1990/1991 | ODI | — | — |
1995 | ODI | Navjot Sidhu (India) | 197 runs |
1997 | ODI | Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka) | 272 runs |
2000 | ODI | Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) | 295 runs |
2004 | ODI | Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) | 293 runs & 4 wickets |
2008 | ODI | Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) | 17 wickets |
2010 | ODI | Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 265 runs & 3 wickets |
2012 | ODI | Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) | 237 runs & 6 wickets |
2014 | ODI | Lahiru Thirimanne (Sri Lanka) | 279 runs |
2016 | T20I | Sabbir Rahman (Bangladesh) | 176 runs |
2018 | ODI | Shikhar Dhawan (India) | 342 runs |
2022 | T20I | Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) | 66 runs & 9 wickets |
(Updated till Asia Cup 2022)
Most Read | Most Runs in Asia Cup ODI Format and Most Wickets in Asia Cup ODI Format
Asia Cup: Specials in Player of the Tournaments
The first player to win the award
Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna was the first cricketer to win a Player of the Tournament award in Asia Cup history (Asia Cup 1984).
Bangladesh cricketer Sabbir Rahman was the first cricketer to win a Player of the Tournament award in the T20 Asia Cup history (Asia Cup 2016).
Win the awards multiple times
Only Indian cricketer Navjot Sidhu (1988 and 1995), and Sri Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga (1986 and 1997) won the Asia Cup Player of the Tournaments twice each.
Asia Cup without a Player of the Tournament award
Only during the Asia Cup 1990/1991, no Player of the Tournament was awarded.
Also Read | Asia Cup ODI Format Champions And Runners-Up
Wicketkeeper to win the award
Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna is the only wicketkeeper to win a Player of the Tournament award in Asia Cup history (Asia Cup 1984).
Captain to win the award
Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga is the only captain to win a Player of the Tournament award in Asia Cup history (Asia Cup 1997).
Specialist bowler to win the award
Sri Lankan offspinner Ajantha Mendis is the only specialist bowler to win a Player of the Tournament award in Asia Cup history (Asia Cup 2008).
Win the award without playing a Final
Except for the first edition (1984), all the Asia Cup tournaments had a Final match. Since the introduction of the Asia Cup Final, Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi (Asia Cup 2010) is the only cricketer to win a Player of the Tournament without appearing in the Final.
