Despite their dominance in the competition, six Indians are included in the XI, but who else made the cut?
Asia Cup is finished. For the eighth time, India has won the title. Worthy winners as well. Here is the tournament team at the conclusion, assembled based on votes from Mohammad Isam, Sidharth Monga, Yash Jha, Andrew Fidel Fernando, and S Sudarshanan.
Avg 75.50; SR 93.49; Best 121; 302 runs in six innings
After being bowled for 10 by Haris Rauf in India’s opening match, he had just one poor performance in the tournament, against Sri Lanka, at the hands of the latter. His other scores were 27*, 121, 58, and 67*. His fourth century in ODIs this year came against Bangladesh in a losing cause. Gill finished comfortably atop the leaderboard. As usual, his strokemaking was exquisite, and he frequently made sure to bat deep.
Rohit Sharma (capt)
Five innings yielded 194 runs; average 48.50; run score 107.77; best 74*
It was not a major tournament by Rohit’s standards, but he managed three straight half-centuries: 53 against Sri Lanka, 56 against Pakistan, and 74* against Nepal. Rohit also demonstrated greater intent in the early overs, which was a change from India’s tactics in the previous World Cup and helped get India off to a fast start. Given that he guided India to victory, he is the clear pick for captain.
270 runs in six innings; average of 45.00; run score of 85.71; best of 92
Mendis, who trailed Gill just slightly in the scorers’ list, most notably demonstrated the consistency that he has sorely missed. During the Asia Cup, he amassed three half-centuries, all from No. 3, two of which were significant: 92 against Afghanistan and 91 against Pakistan, the latter of which they won on the final ball to get to the final. Along with being Sri Lanka’s official keeper, he ended up being dismissed nine times.
KL Rahul (wk): 169 runs in three innings; average of 84.50; strike rate of 89.41; highest score of 111*; eight wickets
Mendis is allowed to keep as well, but we’ll go with Rahul because of his Asia Cup dismissals per game record. He also performed admirably with the bat. Shortly before the toss in the Super Four match against Pakistan, Rahul was drafted into the Indian XI after Shreyas Iyer had to withdraw due to back spasms. He struck 111 runs without conceding a wicket in 106 balls and shared an uninterrupted 233 runs with Virat Kohli for the third wicket.
Charith Asalanka
six innings; 179 runs; average of 44.75; run average of 74.27; best of 62*
Never was Asalanka’s unique ability to save Sri Lanka’s bacon more apparent than when, in a wild last-ball match against Pakistan, he led his team to victory and guaranteed their spot in the championship. As a batter still in the early stages of his international career, he possesses good traits such as being quick to start, an easy striker to rotate, and a steady contributor. Even though he wasn’t often asked to bowl, he nonetheless claimed four wickets against India on a pitch with a lot of turn.
173 runs in five innings; average of 43.25; run rate 97.19; highest score of 80; three wickets at 63.66 average
Bangladesh didn’t have a particularly successful campaign, but they did have some memorable moments, like their match versus Afghanistan in the first round. In their other Asia Cup victory, against India, Shakib led from the front as captain of a team missing a few important players. Even though Tanzim Hasan, a debutante, garnered a lot of well-deserved attention, Shakib was the main attraction. After hitting 80 runs in 85 balls, Shakib dismissed Suryakumar Yadav with a delivery.
Avg 46.00, SR 85.18, Best 87, 92 runs from two innings, and 6 wickets at an average of 11.33
Indian cricket fans have been waiting for Hardik to bowl on a regular basis, and he is putting in the overs just in time for the ODI World Cup. He did a fantastic job as the third seamer at the Asia Cup, taking six wickets in just 20.2 overs of bowling, which included the final three wickets taken by Sri Lanka. In the opening-round match against Pakistan, he and Ishan Kishan helped India rally from a tenuous 66 for 4 to 266. He also contributed with the bat. Hardik finished with ninety-seven balls.
Best 5-40; 86 runs at an average of 28.66; 10 wickets from six innings; Avg 17.90; ER 4.26
In retrospect, Wellalage may have been the most notable development from the competition. Even with Wanindu Hasaranga rejoining Sri Lanka, a 20-year-old (well, almost 21-year-old) with brave batting, good fielding, and menacing bowling on shifting wickets shapes up as a valuable asset going into the World Cup. He put in one of the best all-around performances of the tournament when he ran through India’s top order to return 5 for 40 and then followed it up with a solid 46-ball 42 not out. He also picked up wickets each time he bowled bar in the final when he only got two overs. He teamed up with Maheesh Theekshana to give Sri Lanka’s innings the final push against Afghanistan.
Five innings; 10 wickets; average 23.50; run rate 5.73; best 4-35
Afridi has established himself as a bowler who consistently claimed a wicket or more, isn’t that right? His best performance, keeping in mind that he is still recovering from a lengthy injury layoff, was unquestionably the first-round match against India, where he performed flawlessly, hitting the top order. That time, he removed Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja for 4 for 35 after having Rohit in the fifth over and Kohli in the seventh.
9 wickets in 4 innings; average of 11.44; run rate of 3.61; best of 5–25
Kuldeep was unstoppable as a specialist spinner after back-to-back performances of 5 for 25 against Pakistan and 4 for 43 against Sri Lanka. With these new modifications, he has a more consistent run up, faster tempo, and increased accuracy. With this, he won the Player of the Tournament title. Kuldeep was the tournament’s most exceptional spinner, along with Wellalage. He had particularly good economy.
Ten wickets in four innings; average of 12.20; run rate of 4.63; best of 6-21
In the final, Siraj’s 6 for 21—which included four wickets in an over and five in 10 balls—may have been the most thrilling fast bowling display of the competition, and Matheesha Pathirana would have been in this lineup for his record-breaking 11 wickets. He is a wicket-taker, and on Sunday afternoon, the circumstances were ideal for his swing, making him nearly unplayable. And doesn’t an opening combination with Afridi make the tongue tingle?
