There have been plenty of batters who have been trapped in the 'nervous nineties'. While a lot of them have allowed pressure to get the better of them, at times batters have got complacent and have had to pay the price.
The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to commence on September 9. There have been 11 instances where batters have been dismissed while standing at the cusp of a ton. With the continental event arriving around the corner, let us revisit those occurrences.
11 unlucky batters dismissed between 90 and 99 in Asia Cup history 11. Mushfiqur Rahim (99 off 116 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2018) Asia Cup 2018: Mushfiqur Rahim (Source: Getty Images)At one point, Bangladesh were in a crisis situation against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2018. Electing to bat first, they had lost three wickets within the first five overs and were staring down the barrel. Mushfiqur Rahim joined hands with Mohammad Mithun (60 off 84) to put on 144 runs for the fourth wicket.
He was ultimately dismissed in the 42nd over as he tried to drive the ball with an open bat face. However, the ball nipped away and took his edge before going through to the wicketkeeper, as he fell for 99 off 116.
10. Junaid Siddique (97 off 114 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2010)Bangladesh were set a stiff target of 386 by Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2010 meet. Junaid Siddique came out to bat in the eighth over. The second-wicket stand between Siddique and Imrul Kayes (66 off 110) never picked pace. However, they ensured that the scoreboard kept ticking along.
Siddique's composed knock came to an end when he offered a simple caught-and-bowled opportunity to Shoaib Akhter. The ball held up a touch in the pitch and the left-handed batter lobbed the ball back to the bowler to walk back for 97.
9. Shikhar Dhawan (94 off 114 vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2014)Despite the fall of Rohit Sharma (13 off 28) early into the piece, Shikhar Dhawan showed great calmness at the crease along with Virat Kohli (48 off 51) in India's clash against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2014. Dhawan did not take any extraordinary risks while batting and was content in rotating the strike over.
However, he had to walk back for 94 after missing a quicker delivery from Ajantha Mendis as the spinner breached the bat of Dhawan. He had scored seven fours and one six in his innings.
8. Ajay Jadeja (93 off 103 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2000)Ajay Jadejaarrived at the crease after Sourav Ganguly (8 off 18), Rahul Dravid (26 off 32) and Mohammad Azharuddin (1 off 3) were dismissed in India clash against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2000. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals at the other end with Jadeja trying his best.
The middle-order batter was the last wicket to fall. He held one end by striking a few lusty blows but was stumped by Moin Khan off the bowling of Imran Nazir in the 48th over as India ended up losing the match by 44 runs.
7. Sadeera Samarawickrama (93 off 72 vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2023)Sadeera Samarawickramacame to bat at nearly the halfway mark of the innings against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2023. Kusal Mendis (50 off 73) departed after getting to his half-century, and Samarawickrama did not find any batter to build a substantial partnership with. He fought on valiantly while striking at a brisk rate throughout his innings.
He was dismissed on the final ball of the innings in an attempt to clear the boundary. However, Samarawickrama holed out to the fielder at deep midwicket due to the lack of pace on the ball, walking back with 93 runs off just 72 balls to his name.
6. Sachin Tendulkar (93 off 95 vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2000)
Asia Cup 2000: Sachin Tendulkar (Source: Mufty Munir/AFP) Sri Lanka posted 276/8 in their allotted quota of 50 overs against India in Asia Cup 2000. Chasing 277, India lost skipper Sourav Ganguly (13 off 26) early on. Sachin Tendulkarnegated the Lankan new-ball threat quite well. He went along at a decent rate and stood strong despite the middle-order failing around him.
A well-judged catch on the ropes at deep square leg brought Tendulkar's innings to an end. He had done a lot of work, but there was still quite a lot to be done. The Lankans ended up getting the better of India by 71 runs after getting them bowled out for 205.
5. Nizakat Khan (92 off 115 vs India, Asia Cup 2018)Nizakat Khan batted alogside captain Anshy Rath in what was a truly wonderful display of batting by the duo. Nizakat played at an adequate tempo and played according to the asking rate with some smart shorts to leave the Indians at sea.
He was trapped in front by Khaleel Ahmed, the debutant left-arm pacer. Not even a review could save Nizakhat. The ball was seen to be crashing into the middle stump in the television replay. Hong Kong well short by 26 runs, but the contest will long be remembered for their fight during the match.
4. Kusal Mendis (92 off 84 vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2023)Wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis, coming into bat once the halfway stage had concluded, emerged as the glue which held the innings together. Most of the other batters which he batted with could not capitalise on their respective starts, something which Mendis did not fail at.
He was dismissed rather unfortunately. Dasun Shanaka's was dropped by Rashid Khan, but as luck would have it, the ball managed to fall onto the stumps. Mendis was caught short of the crease. Sri Lanka later went onto clinch an absolute humdinger of a clash by two runs.
3. Kusal Mendis (91 off 87 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023)
Asia Cup 2023: Kusal Mendis (Source: ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) A disastrous run-out of Kusal Perera (17 off 8) meant an early arrival for his namesake. His innings mirrored the effort he had put up against Afghanistan during the league phase nine days back. However, this was during the Super Four stage and while chasing under revised DLS conditions.
Mendis' counterattacking knock came to an end, the second time he in the tournament that he had been dismissed in the nineties. A floaty delivery from Iftikhar Ahmed had done the trick. The leading edge carried to Mohammad Haris who leaped from extra cover to pluck the ball inches off the turf.
2. Gautam Gambhir (90 off 84 vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2008)Gautam Gambhir opened the batting alongside Robin Uthappa. The latter departed for a two-run knock off 11 deliveries. Gambhir combined with Suresh Raina seamlessly after the wicket of Rohit Sharma (22 off 23). For the bulk of the innings, Gambhir batted at a rate more than a run-a-ball.
The stand concluded as it was approaching the 150-run mark with Gambhir's wicket. The medium pace of Farhad Reza, who had earlier caught Rohit out, was the bowler in this case. Mashrafe Mortaza hung onto a low catch at the midwicket position.
1. Saeed Anwar (90 off 94 vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 1997)
Asia Cup 1997: Saeed Anwar (Source: ICC/Instagram) Saeed Anwarhad been dismissed for 27 in the opener of Asia Cup 1997. He did let the chance slip from his fists a couple of days afterwards. Anwar played a mature knock in the first innings, as Pakistan aimed on putting up a sizeable total on the board.
He perished as soon he got into the nineties. Enamul Haque was the bowler. Top-order batter Habibul Bashar snapped up the catch. Pakistan ended up winning by 109 runs on the back of a five-wicket haul by Saqlain Mushtaq (5/38 in 9.3 overs).
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