Top 5 most in-form players leading to Asia Cup 2023 ft. Kuldeep Yadav
The 16th edition of the Asia Cup is slated to get underway on August 30 (Wednesday) as hosts Pakistan take on Nepal in the curtain raiser of the six-nation tournament.
The multi-nation tournament will also serve as the dress rehearsal for the World Cup slated to be played in India from October 5. Barring Nepal all the five other nations will compete in the World Cup and with the playing conditions being quite similar to India, it should augur well for most of the teams.
While India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka will start the tournament as the favourites, you can never count out the likes of Bangladesh and Afghanistan, especially given their record in subcontinental conditions.
Over the years, Asia Cup has produced several thrilling encounters and the cricket aficionados will be hoping much of the same in the upcoming edition. With the tournament set to kick off in a few hours, let us dissect the top 5 most in-form players leading to the Asia Cup 2023:
#1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz
A swashbuckling Afghanistan opening batter and a reliable wicket-keeper, Rahmanullah Gurbaz holds the key if Afghanistan harbour hopes of going deep into the tournament.
Besides his fluent strokeplay, Gurbaz can play the condition well and doesn't try doing anything fancy. He uses the powerplay to good effect and has the ability to bat long hours which sets him apart from his peers in the Afghan team.
Gurbaz went on to score his highest ODI score during the recently concluded series against Pakistan when he scored 151 in the second ODI. It was not just the amount of runs he scored but the way he played against a ruthless Pakistan bowling attack.
In the preceding series against Bangladesh, Gurbaz smashed a hundred (145) to help Afghanistan clinch the series. He is one of the players to watch out for in the Asia Cup.
#2 Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav has made an astonishing comeback in the international circuit after being out of the team for almost a year.
The left-arm chinaman bowler has worked on his game immensely since his ouster from the squad and he has been nothing short of phenomenal since his return.
The one area where Kuldeep struggled against top-quality batters was the pace at which he bowled. Since his ouster, he worked on his speed and came back as a better bowler.
The 28-year-old weaves his magic against the Caribbeans in the recently concluded three-match ODI series, bagging seven wickets in three games. He also had a good outing with the ball against Australia earlier this year, when he bagged four wickets in three games. The wrist-spinner will undoubtedly play a pivotal role if India has to win the Asia Cup.
#3 Towhid Hridoy
One of the finest young talents to have emerged from Bangladesh, Towhid Hridoy has made batting look ridiculously easy in the last few months.
Hridoy has produced some stellar performances in the recent past and will be hoping to replicate his rich vein of form in the Asia Cup. His ability to make batting look easy sets him apart from his peers in the Bangladesh team.
He is a delectable timer of the ball and doesn't have an out-and-out vulnerability in his batting. He has played only nine ODIs so far and has amassed 338 runs at an average of 48.28.
Hridoy scored 89 runs in the three-match series against Afghanistan in June-July. While he has yet to face a top-quality bowling attack, his talent and run-scoring prowess cannot be denied.
#4 Haris Rauf
One of the most intimidating fast bowlers of the modern generation, Haris Rauf has the ability to single-handedly dismantle any batting lineup on his day. What makes him unique is his ability to produce wicket-taking deliveries even on docile surfaces.
In the opening ODI of the recently concluded series against Afghanistan, Haris breathed fire and just ran through the Afghanistan batting lineup with an exceptional five-wicket haul.
It was the sheer pace and the intimidation factor that never really allowed Afghanistan to claw their way back into the game. On a spin-friendly wicket, it was a sight every fast bowler would have dreamt of.
Besides bagging five wickets in two matches against Afghanistan in the recently concluded series, Haris produced consistent performances against New Zealand earlier this year (April) when he bagged nine wickets in four games.
#5 Maheesh Theekshana
Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana has to take more responsibility in the upcoming Asia Cup in the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga.
The two bowling in tandem could have been a nightmare for any opposition but now Theekshana needs to take the onus on himself and be the wrecker-in-chief with the ball.
His ability to bowl in the powerplay and control the new ball makes him a potent option for any white ball team he plays for. He bowled well in the Lanka Premier League but couldn't take as many wickets as he would have liked.
In his final assignment in the ODI format, Theekshana was phenomenal as he finished the ICC World Cup Qualifiers with 21 wickets in eight games and was instrumental in Sri Lanka winning the championship.