T20 cricket is all about exciting chases and close finishes but sometimes the tightest wins make the biggest memories. Asia Cup has had its share of these nail-biters. Here are the smallest run wins in Asia Cup T20 history where each run mattered.
Smallest Victories in T20 Asia Cup:
| Winner | Margin | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oman | 5 runs | v Hong Kong | Fatullah |
| Sri Lanka | 14 runs | v U.A.E. | Mirpur |
| U.A.E. | 16 runs | v Afghanistan | Fatullah |
| Bangladesh | 23 runs | v Sri Lanka | Mirpur |
| Sri Lanka | 23 runs | v Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) |
| India | 40 runs | v Hong Kong | Dubai (DICS) |
| India | 45 runs | v Bangladesh | Mirpur |
| Bangladesh | 51 runs | v U.A.E. | Mirpur |
| Afghanistan | 66 runs | v Hong Kong | Mirpur |
| U.A.E. | 71 runs | v Oman | Mirpur |
1. Oman beat Hong Kong by 5 runs
Venue: Fatullah
Date: February 19, 2016
Oman made history by beating Hong Kong by just 5 runs. After scoring 180+, Oman’s bowlers were strong, Hong Kong couldn’t reach the target.
Key Player:
Zeeshan Maqsood held the innings together for Oman. With the ball Bilal Khan bowled well, making it hard for Hong Kong to score in the last overs.
2. Sri Lanka beat U.A.E. by 14 runs
Venue: Mirpur
Date: February 25, 2016
Sri Lanka had to fight to defend 130. U.A.E. The bowlers did well to restrict Sri Lanka but struggled to chase the score and lost by 14 runs.
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Key Player:
Lasith Malinga bowled well, took 4 important wickets. He was tough to hit early on which helped Sri Lanka defend the score.
3. U.A.E. beat Afghanistan by 16 runs
Venue: Fatullah
Date: February 19, 2016
U.A.E. defended 177 against Afghanistan in a close game. Afghanistan tried hard but U.A.E. bowlers bowled well and won by 16 runs in the last over.
Key Player:
Shaiman Anwar’s big hitting was the key for U.A.E. Mohammad Naveed bowled well in the last overs to seal the win.
4. Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 23 runs
Venue: Mirpur
Date: February 28, 2016
This game showed Bangladesh’s growth in T20 cricket. They defended 148 against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh bowlers followed their plans well and won by 23 runs.
Key Player:
Shakib Al Hasan scored well in the middle order and bowled tightly to put pressure on the opposition
5. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 23 runs
Venue: Dubai
Date: September 11, 2022
Sri Lanka defended 171. Sri Lankan spinners bowled well in the middle overs to stop Pakistan from scoring big.
Key Player:
Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick, took important wickets and controlled the scoring. He bowled well in the middle overs to hurt Pakistan’s chase.
6. India beat Hong Kong by 40 runs
Venue: Dubai
Date: August 31, 2022
40 runs might seem a big margin in T20s but Hong Kong did well to keep it down considering India scored 193. India had to work hard in the middle overs to take control.
Key Player:
Suryakumar Yadav was the star, hit the ball hard. Ravindra Jadeja bowled well and took a key wicket that slowed Hong Kong down.
