Rohit Sharma-led Indian team will be aiming to successfully defend their Asia Cup title. Besides Team India’s achievements, Rohit is on the cusp of a terrific personal record. Rohit, with 27 matches in the tournament, needs one more game to tie Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene for most Asia Cup appearances.
Rohit, in all likelihood, will achieve the historic feat during India’s opening Asia Cup fixture against Pakistan on August 28. The high-voltage India-Pakistan clash is scheduled to be played at the Dubai International Stadium.
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Rohit, who is also India’s second-highest run scorer in the tournament with 883 runs to his name, played his first Asia Cup match back in 2008. He has so far notched one century and seven half centuries in the history of the tournament.
Former Sri Lanka batter Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for the most number of matches played in Asia Cup. He donned the Sri Lanka jersey on 28 occasions in the Asia Cup and claimed 674 runs at an average of 29.30. He made his debut in the Asia Cup in 2000.
Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi finds himself in the second spot along with Rohit in the list of cricketers with the most matches in the Asia Cup. Afridi played his first Asia Cup match in the 1997 edition of the event. His last appearance in Asia Cup took place in 2016.
Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim claims the third spot in the prestigious list with 26 Asia Cup matches in his kitty. His teammate Mahmudullah and former Sri Lanka opening batter Sanath Jayasuriya are joint-fourth in the list. Both of them featured in the Asia Cup 25 times each.
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MS Dhoni and Aravinda de Silva occupy the fifth position jointly in the list after playing 24 matches in the Asia Cup.
The 2022 edition of the Asia Cup will start on August 27. Sri Lanka will be up against Afghanistan in the opening encounter.
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