The Women’s Asia Cup, a prestigious tournament in women’s cricket, has showcased exceptional batting performances throughout its history. This article delves into the season-wise breakdown of the highest run-scorers in the tournament, highlighting the remarkable achievements of women cricketers from Asian nations. From its inception to the most recent edition, we’ll explore the batters who have dominated the competition, set new benchmarks and left their mark on this important continental championship. These statistics not only reflect individual brilliance but also offer insights into the evolving landscape of women’s cricket in Asia.
Anju Jain, 231 runs (2004)
Anju Jain, India’s prominent wicket-keeper batter, scored the most runs in the inaugural Women’s Asia Cup. She performed consistently, scoring a total of 231 runs in 5 matches. In the first match of the tournament, Anju Jain scored 90 runs in 115 balls, helping India register a 123-run win. In the last match, she again played a magnificent innings of 64 runs in 86 balls, helping India to the championship in the inaugural edition.
Jaya Sharma, 258 runs (2005-06)
Jaya Sharma, a top-order batter, scored the most runs (258) in the Women’s Asia Cup 2005-06. In the first match against Sri Lanka, she played an incredible innings of 58 not out in 72 balls, and followed up her fifty with a century, scoring a magical 138 not out in 150 balls. This exceptional performance led India to the final, where they defeated Sri Lanka to lift the trophy for the second consecutive time. Jaya Sharma played 14 matches in the Asia Cup, scoring 560 runs.
Dedunu Silva, 163 runs (2006)
Dedunu Silva, Sri Lanka’s opening batter, topped the list of run-scorers in the 2006 Women’s Asia Cup. She scored 163 runs in 5 matches, playing two good innings – 50 runs against Pakistan and 78 runs in 119 balls against India – both in winning cause. Silva has played 20 matches in the Women’s Asia Cup, scoring 555 runs.
Mithali Raj, 226 runs (2008)
Mithali Raj, an Indian legendary middle-order player, scored the most runs (226) in the 2008 Women’s Asia Cup and also captained India to their third consecutive title. Against Bangladesh, Mithali scored an impressive 109 not out in 92 balls, and in the next match, she scored 54 not out in 63 balls. Mithali Raj played 21 matches in the Women’s Asia Cup, scoring 697 runs in the 50-over format (17 innings) and 430 runs in the 20-over format (19 innings).
Bismah Maroof, 113 runs (2012)
Bismah Maroof, one of Pakistan’s key players, scored the most runs (113) in 5 matches during the 2012 Women’s Asia Cup. Her highest score came against Hong Kong, where she scored 34 runs in 33 balls, helping Pakistan win by 142 runs. Maroof played 21 matches in the Women’s Asia Cup, scoring 121 runs in the 50-over format (15 innings) and 311 runs in the 20-over format (21 innings).
Mithali Raj, 220 runs (2016)
Mithali Raj again claimed the top scorer position in the 2016 Women’s Asia Cup, scoring 220 runs in 6 matches. She played several match-winning innings, including 49 not out against Bangladesh, 36 against Pakistan, and a crucial 73 not out in 65 balls in the final, helping India win their sixth Asia Cup title.
Harmanpreet Kaur, 215 runs (2018)
Harmanpreet Kaur scored 215 runs in 6 matches during the 2018 Women’s Asia Cup, where she also captained the Indian team. She played two notable innings: 42 runs in 37 balls against Bangladesh and 56 runs in 42 balls in the final, also against Bangladesh. However, India lost the final as Bangladesh won their first Women’s Asia Cup title. To date, Harmanpreet has played 21 matches in the Asia Cup, scoring 489 runs in 17 T20 matches.
Jemimah Rodrigues, 217 runs (2022)
Jemimah Rodrigues scored 217 runs in the 2022 Women’s Asia Cup, where India regained their title, becoming 7-time Asian Champions. She played exceptional innings against Sri Lanka (76 runs in 53 balls) and the United Arab Emirates (75 not out in 45 balls). Her consistent form helped India win their 7th Asia Cup title with full domination.