Asia Cup 2023: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today’s India vs Bangladesh match ft. Mohammed Shami
India are reportedly planning to rest Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik Pandya for their clash against Bangladesh ahead of the 2023 Asia Cup final. Mohammed Shami, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur will replace them.
India can do it happily because their first-choice bowling lineup has clicked as clinically as ever in this tournament, despite not playing much together in the leadup. Both their Super Four wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka were led by their bowlers who showed how role clarity can bring out the best in individuals.
Bangladesh might also rotate a few players. But that's because, contrastingly to India, their batting has just not turned up and they've been realistically out of contention for the final for a long time. A win today will have to be led by their batting order which has shown a tendency to collapse in the middle overs.
But it won't be a surprise if Shakib Al Hasan again looks at his bowlers with puppy eyes, hoping they'd conjure up something magical to defeat the finalists. A win here won't count towards anything substantial, except giving Bangladesh hope, confidence, and a tiny bit of momentum for the future.
On that note, let's look at our take on three bowlers who can take the most wickets today:
#3 Mohammed Shami
Bangladesh have had a problem with express pace in this tournament. In their group-stage match against Pakistan, Haris Rauf burst through their middle order between the 10th and the 40th overs in his first and third spells. Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana also enjoyed success against their lower order in the death overs.
In Bumrah's absence, Shami would take responsibility for both these phases as well as the powerplay. He looked in good rhythm against Nepal and picked up his only wicket in the death overs. Well-rested, the right-arm pacer with his swing in the powerplay and pacy seam movement in the middle overs could enjoy the contest.
Shami also has an excellent record against the Bangla Tigers - seven wickets in three matches at an average of 22.14.
#2 Shoriful Islam
Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has been Bangladesh's best bowler in the 2023 Asia Cup. He has seven wickets in four matches at an average of 18.71.
Islam takes the ball across the right-handers, swings them in late (has done that really well in the past month), and has enough variations to surprise the batters.
That makes him almost the perfect bowler to exploit India's weakness against left-arm seam. It's not just the Indian openers who struggle but the problem runs through the batting order and continues even in the death overs.
Moreover, Indian batters tend to get used to such seamers the more they play them but still, every new left-arm seamer on the scene again troubles them in the first few matches. Mustafizur Rahman and Shaheen Shah Afridi are cases in point.
#1 Kuldeep Yadav
With nine wickets in the last two matches, Kuldeep Yadav is in the form of his life. Colombo's pitch is suiting the left-arm wrist-spinner and not many batters have been able to cope with his variations at a new, increased zip out off the surface.
In Mushfiqur Rahim's absence, Bangladesh fell prey to Maheesh Theekshana's spin web against Sri Lanka. Kuldeep, much like Theekshana, has now gotten quite clinical at hitting the right length and turning the ball both ways. Most of the Bangladeshi batters haven't played much against the Indian spinner either.
It won't be a surprise if Kuldeep is India's top wicket-taker for the third time in a row.