Asia Cup 2025: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the schedule for the 17th edition of the tournament, which will start from September 9. Afghanistan will face Hong Kong in the tournament opener at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Defending champions India will start their campaign against the UAE on September 10 at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan will take place on September 14 at the same venue in Dubai.
Team India will reportedly announce their Asia Cup 2025 squad on August 19, followed by T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar's press conference.
Since the inaugural edition of the tournament, which was played in 1984, the Asia Cup has showcased countless memorable performances. While batting legends like Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar have left their mark, it’s the bowlers who have often turned the tide of matches. Historically, Sri Lankan bowlers have dominated in ODIs, while Indian pacers have led the charge in the T20 format.
Here’s a look at the top wicket-takers in Asia Cup history across formats.
Overall Leading Wicket-Takers (ODI + T20)
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 33 wickets in 15 matches
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 30 wickets in 24 matches
Ravindra Jadeja (India) – 29 wickets
| Player | Country | Matches Played | Wickets Taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 15 | 33 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 24 | 30 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | India | 26 | 29 |
Top Wicket-Takers in ODI Format
| Player | Team | Matches | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 24 | 30 |
| Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 14 | 29 |
| Ajantha Mendis | Sri Lanka | 8 | 26 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan | 12 | 25 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | India | 20 | 25 |
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 30 wickets
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 29 wickets
Ravindra Jadeja (India) – 29 wickets
Top Wicket-Takers in T20 Format
| Player | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | India | 13 |
| Amjad Javed | UAE | 12 |
| Mohammad Naveed | UAE | 11 |
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 11 |
| Hardik Pandya | India | 11 |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) – 13 wickets
Amjad Javed (UAE) – 12 wickets
Hardik Pandya (India) – 11 wickets.
Most Wickets in a Single Edition
ODI Format: Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) – 17 wickets in just 5 matches (2008)
T20 Format: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) – 11 wickets in 5 matches.
| Format | Player | Country | Year | Matches Played | Wickets Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | Ajantha Mendis | Sri Lanka | 2008 | 5 | 17 |
| T20 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | India | — | 5 | 11 |
Why Asia Cup is taking place in T20I format?
The Asia Cup is a rehearsal for the ICC World Cup, so the tournament will take place in T20 format because of next year's Twenty20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.