Only clutch players will win you games in a high-profile tournament like Asia Cup. Big players step up on big occasions and over the years, the fans spotted the same in the continental cup. From Virat Kohli’s 183 against arch-rivals Pakistan to Ajantha Mendis’ bamboozling spell against India in 2008, there have been instances where stars became superstars in the Asia Cup.
In 15 editions so far, the fans have witnessed several game-changing performances that fetched them Player of the Match awards. Virat Kohli with six trophies to his name ranks the highest in the history of the competition while the Sri Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya and former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik, with five trophies each, rank second in the all-time list.
On the other hand, legendary cricketers like Kumar Sangakkara and Shahid Afridi are tied with four trophies each. Thus, Virat Kohli is far ahead of any cricketer at the moment as India skipper Rohit Sharma is the only player who comes close to him among active cricketers.
Meanwhile, the next edition of the marquee tournament is set to begin on August 31 in Pakistan. After a few matches there, the tournament will then shift to the Sri Lankan shores where India will be playing all their matches. Virat, who’s currently having the most number of Man of the Matches awards, will have the opportunity to extend his lead while Rohit will be aiming to get better.
| SL No. | Name | Number of MOTMs | Nationality |
| 1 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 5 | Sri Lanka |
| 2 | Kumar Sangakkara | 4 | Sri Lanka |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | 4 | Pakistan |
| 4 | Shoaib Malik | 4 | Pakistan |
| 5 | Marvan Attapattu | 3 | Sri Lanka |
| SL No. | Name | Number of MOTMs | Nationality |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 3 | India |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | 2 | India |
| 3 | Wanindu Hasaranga | 1 | Sri Lanka |
| 4 | Shikhar Dhawan | 1 | India |
| 5 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | 1 | Afghanistan |
*Last Updated on 7th July 2023