The Asia Cup T20 has a reputation for delivering exciting cricket. Big wins are great, but the really memorable games are the ones decided by just a few wickets. Here are six contests that proved that Cricket is not for the faint hearted
Smallest Victory Margins By Wickets in Asia Cup:
| Winner | Margin | Balls Rem | Target | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 1 wicket | 4 | 130 | v Afghanistan | Sharjah |
| Sri Lanka | 2 wickets | 4 | 184 | v Bangladesh | Dubai (DICS) |
| Afghanistan | 3 wickets | 3 | 166 | v Oman | Fatullah |
| Sri Lanka | 4 wickets | 5 | 176 | v Afghanistan | Sharjah |
| India | 5 wickets | 27 | 84 | v Pakistan | Mirpur |
| India | 5 wickets | 4 | 139 | v Sri Lanka | Mirpur |
| Bangladesh | 5 wickets | 5 | 130 | v Pakistan | Mirpur |
| India | 5 wickets | 2 | 148 | v Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) |
| Pakistan | 5 wickets | 1 | 182 | v India | Dubai (DICS) |
| Sri Lanka | 5 wickets | 18 | 122 | v Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) |
1. Pakistan vs Afghanistan – Won by 1 Wicket (Sharjah, Sep 7, 2022)
Pakistan snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in this one. 11 runs needed with one wicket left when Naseem Shah came in. He smashed two sixes in the last over to win.
Top Performers :
Naseem Shah: 14 not out (4 balls, 2 sixes)
Haris Rauf: 2 wickets for 26 runs in 4 overs
2. Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh – Won by 2 Wickets (Dubai, Sep 1, 2022)
Chasing: 184 | Finished: 19.2 Overs
Sri Lanka just beat Bangladesh in this high scoring game. Kusal Mendis played a big role in the innings and Asitha Fernando kept his cool to see the team home.
Best performing Players:
Kusal Mendis: 60 (37 balls)
Asitha Fernando: 10 not out (3 balls)
3. Afghanistan vs Oman – Won by 3 Wickets (Fatullah, Feb 20, 2016)
Chasing: 166 | Finished: 19.3 Overs
Oman gave Afghanistan a tough time in this game. Mohammad Shahzad got them off to a flying start and Mohammad Nabi did the rest with both bat and ball.
Best performance:
Mohammad Shahzad: 60 (39 balls)
Mohammad Nabi: 2 wickets for 16 runs & 17 not out (10 balls)
4. Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan – Won by 4 Wickets (Sharjah, Sep 3, 2022)
Sri Lanka chased down the runs thanks to some big hitting from Bhanuka Rajapaksa towards the end of the innings. He was the difference.
Top performers:
Bhanuka Rajapaksa: 31 (14 balls)
Pathum Nissanka: 35 (28 balls)
5. India vs Pakistan – Won by 5 Wickets (Mirpur, Feb 27, 2016)
Chasing: 84 | Finished: 15.3 Overs
Pakistan’s bowlers made India fight for every run in this low scoring game. Virat Kohli played sensibly on a tough pitch to guide India to victory.
Best performing Players:
Virat Kohli: 49 (51 balls)
Hardik Pandya: 3 wickets for 8 runs in 3.3 overs
6. India vs Sri Lanka – Won by 5 Wickets (Mirpur, Mar 1, 2016)
Chasing: 139 | Finished: 19.2 Overs
India chased down a decent score with Virat Kohli again leading the way. He was not out and was very composed.
Top performing Players:
Virat Kohli: 56 not out (47 balls)
R Ashwin: 2 wickets for 26 runs in 4 overs
7. Bangladesh vs. Pakistan – Bangladesh Wins by 5 Wickets (Mirpur, March 2, 2016)
Chasing: 130 | Finished: 19.1 Overs
In a tight match, Bangladesh had to work hard to chase a target of 130. The game was close until the end, but Mahmudullah’s steady batting helped Bangladesh win by five wickets with only five balls remaining.
Key Players:
Mahmudullah: 22 not out (15 balls)
Al-Amin Hossain:3 wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs
8. India vs. Pakistan – India Wins by 5 Wickets (Dubai, August 28, 2022)
Chasing:148 | Finished: 19.4 Overs
India-Pakistan matches are always exciting. In this intense game, India kept their cool to chase 148. Hardik Pandya’s strong finish, including a six on the second-to-last ball, secured the win.
Key Players:
Hardik Pandya:33 not out (17 balls) 3 wickets for 25 runs
Bhuvneshwar Kumar:4 wickets for 26 runs in 4 overs
9. Pakistan vs. India – Pakistan Wins by 5 Wickets (Dubai, September 4, 2022)
Chasing: 182 | Finished:19.5 Overs
In another exciting India-Pakistan match in 2022, Pakistan won this time. Mohammad Nawaz’s quick scoring changed the game, making the chase easier for the rest of the team. They scored the winning run with just one ball left.
Key Players:
Mohammad Nawaz: 42 (20 balls)
Mohammad Rizwan: 71 (51 balls)
10. Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan – Sri Lanka Wins by 5 Wickets (Dubai, September 9, 2022)
Chasing:122 | Finished:17.0 Overs
Even though the target was low, Sri Lanka made a statement before the final by winning with 5 wickets to spare. The bowlers did well to contain Pakistan, and the batters completed the job.
TOP PERFORMER
Wanindu Hasaranga:** 3 wickets for 21 runs in 4 overs
Pathum Nissanka:** 55 not out (48 balls)
These are the kind of finishes that make T20 cricket so exciting. In a big tournament like the Asia Cup, these narrow wins are the ones we remember.
