The Asia Cup 2022 is less than a week away; India will kick-off their title defence against arch-rivals Pakistan, in Dubai.
Rohit Sharma’s team will enter the tournament as firm favorites given their excellent form: India have won 6 of the 7 T20I series since last year’s T20 World Cup (the T20I series vs South Africa was drawn 2-2). Importantly, they have beaten the likes of England and West Indies away from home, and will now look to conquer Asia ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Indian batsmen have ruled the Asia Cup, playing a significant part in winning 7 titles.
Here are 5 memorable centuries in Asia Cups by Indian batsmen:
Virat Kohli – 183* vs Pakistan, 2012
This was the knock that ascended Virat Kohli’s stature – as it turned out this also became Sachin Tendulkar’s last ODI, so the passing of the baton was quite fitting in this game.
Chasing 331 to keep the hopes of reaching the final alive, India lost Gautam Gambhir in the first over. But Tendulkar and Kohli forged a partnership of 133 runs in 116 balls, 73 coming off Kohli’s bat.
He was involved in an even bigger partnership – 172 runs in 158 balls with Rohit Sharma who was out for 68. Though Kohli got out, scoring 183 runs from 148 balls, he had made sure that India go over the line, and they did with 2 overs to spare. Kohli’s 183 is the highest score by an Indian batsman in Asia Cup history.
Sachin Tendulkar – 114 vs Bangladesh, 2012
The game in Mirpur where Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries. Tendulkar scored 114 runs off 147 balls, creaming 12 boundaries and one six. Tendulkar held the innings together while others scored around him, taking India to 289.
However, a poor, dispirited, lacking in experience bowling attack couldn’t save the total and Bangladesh won with 4 balls to spare.
Virender Sehwag – 119 vs Pakistan, 2008
A batting display such emphatic, such dominant that even the home team, Pakistan, couldn’t stop Virender Sehwag. In a 2008 Asia Cup game in Karachi, Sehwag smashed the Pakistani bowling attack to smithers during his 119-run knock off 95 balls (strike rate of 125 in an ODI innings in a century in those days is a big deal).
Sehwag clattered 5 sixes and 12 fours, easing down the chase of 300, which India completed – also aided by Suresh Raina’s 84 off 69 balls- in only 42.5 overs. Pakistani bowlers had no answer to the onslaught from Sehwag and Raina in their stand of 198 runs in 149 balls.
Shikhar Dhawan – 118 and Rohit Sharma – 111*, vs Pakistan, 2018
The chase of 238 against a good Pakistani bowling attack was expected to be tricky. However, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma produced one of the best Asia Cup partnerships ever and made the chase look like a really easy task for them.
Dhawan and Sharma, the pair which has grown to be one of the best ever in ODI cricket, both registered centuries in this game – they conjured a 210-run opening stand in 201 balls, the Pakistani bowler rendered helpless and ineffective.
Man of the Match Dhawan scored 114 runs from 100 balls, walloping 2 sixes and 16 fours, while Rohit Sharma, who was leading the side as Kohli was rested, remained unbeaten on 111 in 119 balls having smoked 7 fours and 4 sixes.
PS: Navjot Singh Sidhu, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir are the other Indian batters who have registered centuries in Asia Cups.
