Four costliest drops in Asia Cup history ft. Arshdeep Singh

Unlike batting and bowling, fielding is one such aspect of the game that does not get the attention it deserves. While most players manage to steal the show on the back of some exemplary batting and bowling abilities, this aspect of the game is generally overlooked. Throughout the history of the Asia Cup, we have cherished some breathtaking fielding displays that would often turn the game on its head. But at times, the pressure of the game gets so big on the players that lapses inevitably happen on the field. And when they do, it does not take too long for things to escalate as they become a prime target for the fans and media alike. 

Although some catches do not turn out to be very costly in nature, a few end up deciding the fate of the match, thus leaving the guilty party on the losing side. In this article, we bring you the four five costly fielding blunders to have ever occurred in the history of the Asia Cup, with Arshdeep Singh of India leading the list.  

See also: Five bowlers to produce best bowling figures in Asia Cup history ft Ajantha Mendis

Arshdeep Singh (Ind vs Pak, Asia Cup 2022)

This dropped catch from Arshdeep Singh will go down as the costliest drop in the record books. Not only did this drop chance leave the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma visibly distraught, but it also extinguished India's chances of advancing further in the tournament. During the Super Four match between India and Pakistan on September 4, 2022, Arshdeep dropped Asif Ali off Ravi Bishnoi's bowling in the 18th over. What was supposed to be a regulation catch at short third man turned into a horror tragedy for the Indian pacer. That miss proved pivotal, as Asif Ali went on to score 16 off 8 balls, turning the tide in Pakistan’s favor. He was entrusted with the ball in the final over and also succeeded in picking up a wicket. But he couldn't prevent Iftikhar Ali from getting off strike in the final ball of the run chase, and that is when the game was lost. Arshdeep's drop drew mixed reactions from former cricketers, with many labelling the effort as "lazy" while some also came to his defence and offered strong words of support.

Shadab Khan & Asif Ali (Pak vs Sl, Asia Cup 2022 Final)

Pakistani players are well known for committing atrocious fielding lapses during crunch moments of the game. On September 11, 2022, much to the agony of the Pakistani fans, Shadab Khan gifted an early lifeline to Sri Lanka's Bhanuka Rajapaksa by spilling a dolly of a catch. A few overs later, another catching opportunity went begging as a collision with Asif Ali near the boundary resulted in six bonus runs for Rajapaksa. These dropped chances proved fatal as Sri Lanka, who seemed to be staring down the barrel at 58-5, were able to make a timely recovery as Rajapaksa went on to score a valuable 71* to steer Sri Lanka to a competitive 170-6. As a result, the target proved beyond the reach of Pakistan as they were their innings folded for just 147, handing Sri Lanka a famous Asia Cup title victory. But had Shadab or Asif held on to the catches earlier, the end score line could have looked a lot different. 

Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli & Shreyas Iyer (Ind vs Nep, Asia Cup 2023)

The Men in Blue experienced a rare failure on the field when they took on Nepal for the first time in the history of the Asia Cup. In the early overs of the Nepalese innings, India dropped three regulation catches. Iyer, Kohli, and Kishan, who are well regarded for setting high fielding standards, were the guilty party. These unexpected blunders from some of India's best fieldsmen allowed the Nepalese openers to set a surprisingly solid foundation. Unlike the other drops, these dropped catches did not go on to hurt India as Rohit and Gill quickly raced out of the blocks to help India chase down 145 in a DLS-effected game, with all 10 wickets intact. While less dramatic, the fielding lapses were glaring in a game expected to be one-sided, and significantly boosted Nepal’s confidence early in the tournament.

Umar Akmal (Pak vs Sl, Asia Cup 2014 Final)

Thanks to their notorious fielding reputation, the presence of the Pakistani fielders in this list is omnipresent. According to some experts, Pakistan's Umar Akmal is believed to have dropped the Sri Lankan batter Lahiru Thirimanne. A pivotal moment came when Umar Akmal, Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batsman, dropped Thirimanne when he was on 36 in the 20th over. That reprieve allowed Thirimanne to go on and score a match-defining century. Sri Lanka chased down a target of 261, winning the final by five wickets with 22 balls to spare, thanks in large part to Lahiru Thirimanne’s century (101) and a strong partnership with Mahela Jayawardene (75). Additionally, this was not the only major lapse committed by a Pakistani fielder in that Final. Experts have the opinion that the fielding lapses were aplenty from Pakistan in that game, which resulted in a disappointing defeat for the Green Shirts.