The Asia Cup is an alternate 50-over and 20-over tournament organized under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), involving top cricketing nations from Asia. Its first edition was held in 1984, and its latest edition is being organized in 2022. Sri Lanka is one of the participants in this tournament and has won the title five times so far. Here, in this article, we look at some of the best Sri Lankan players in the Asia Cup (50-over format) and their individual records.

1. Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya is a former left-handed opening batter and a left-arm orthodox bowler. Jayasuriya tops this list owing to his contribution both with the bat and the bowl. From 1990 to 2008, in 25 Asia Cup matches, Jayasuriya scored 1220 runs at an average of 53.04, with six hundred and three fifties to his name. He also picked up 22 wickets at an average of 30.31.

2. Mutthiah Muralidharan

Talk of the art of spin bowling, and you have Muralidharan in your imagination. That is the kind of aura he created. He represented Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup from 1995 to 2010 in 24 matches. He picked up 30 wickets, the highest for any Sri Lankan bowler, at an average of 28.83 and an economy of 3.75.

3. Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara, one of the finest wicketkeeper batters of all time, is next on the list. Sangakkara was simply pleasing to the eye and a delight to watch. He represented Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup from 2004 to 2014, in a total of 24 games. He scored 1075 runs at an average of 48.86, with four hundred and eight fifties to his name.

4. Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga, the former World Cup-winning captain of Sri Lanka, is next to feature on the list. Ranatunga played in 19 Asia Cup games from 1984 to 1997 and scored 741 runs at an impressive average of 57. He also chipped in some wickets, with 11 to his name at an average of 24.81.

5. Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga is next on the list. Malinga featured in the Asia Cup from 2004 to 2018 in 14 matches and was the leader of the Sri Lankan pace attack. He took 29 wickets at an outstanding average of 20.55, with the best bowling figures of 5 for 34. Also, he has three five-wicket hauls to his name, the most for any Sri Lankan bowler.

6. Ajanta Mendis

Ajanta Mendis, Sri Lanka’s right-handed mystery spinner, is next to show up on the list. He became a crucial spinner for Sri Lanka after Muralidharan’s retirement. Mendis represented Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup in eight matches only but picked up 26 wickets, the third highest for Sri Lanka, at an amazing average of 10.42. His bowling strike rate of 15.6 is the best for any Sri Lankan bowler in the Asia Cup.

7. Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lankan captain, and a batter par excellence, is the next to feature on the list. From 2000 to 2014, Jayawardene played in 28 Asia Cup matches, the most for a Sri Lankan player, and amassed 674 runs at an average of 29.30. Sri Lanka won six of the ten games when Jayawardene was the captain of the team in the Asia Cup.

8. Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas is a former left-arm fast bowler and Sri Lanka’s premier new ball bowler in the 90s. Vaas featured in 19 Asia Cup matches from 1995 to 2008 and picked up 23 wickets at an average of 27.78 and an economy of 4.19. He has also bowled 20 maiden overs, the most by any Sri Lankan bowler in the Asia Cup.

9. Marvan Atapattu

Next, we have Marvan Atapattu, one of Sri Lanka’s most trusted openers and Sanath Jayasuriya’s batting partner. Atapattu played in 13 Asia Cup matches from 1997 to 2004 and scored 642 runs in 12 innings at a fantastic average of 64.20. He has the best average among Sri Lankan batters with 600 or more runs in the Asia Cup.

10. Aravinda de Silva

Aravinda de Silva, a right-handed batting all-rounder, is next on the list. He was famous for his solid technique and was a stroke maker. Silva played in the Asia Cup from 1984 to 2000 in 24 matches and scored 645 runs at an average of 32.25. He used to bowl part-time off-spin and took five wickets.