Image source: Nurunnaby Chowdhury (Hasive), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Asia Cup is one of the grandest events in world cricket. The top Asian teams face each other for a spectacular battle between bat and ball. The Asian giants fight to grab the mega title. Furthermore, the Asia Cup 2022 will serve as a perfect scenario for the Asian sides as the T20 World Cup 2022 is approaching. The event will start on August 27. One of the most awaited and hottest battles of the tournament Pakistan vs India will be played on August 28. There are many phenomenal players participating in the Asia Cup. These players have been present on the leading charts of rankings and produce an enthralling performance on the field.
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T20 cricket is the most entertaining form of the game. The batsmen smash the ball all around the park. Certainly, the bowlers deliver spectacular fireballs against the batsmen. The crowd visits the stadiums in numbers. The UAE (United Arab Emirates) is set to host the tremendous Asia Cup 2022 event. Are you excited about the build-up? Do you want to find out which player has the highest chance of scoring the highest number of runs in the event? Furthermore, do you want to know which players can take the highest number of wickets in the event? If yes, then you could to the best online sportsbook cricket sites in the UK to know the odds.
Let’s talk about what players we should expect to fire in the upcoming Asia Cup. The event has a variety of batting and bowling marvels participating so we are in for a cracker! The best players participating can produce match-winning performances and guide their teams to victories.
Babar Azam
Babar Azam is the darling of the World Cup. There was a lot of debate about whether the batsman qualified to have his name in the Fabulous Four. With his skills, he has proved that he has his own class. Babar scores run effortlessly. Indeed, he plays shots that are written in the cricketing textbook. The cover drives of Babar are phenomenal. Not only does he play beautifully, but he scores also and runs consistently. If talk about the ranking charts, Babar Azam is at the number two position in the T20 international rankings.
The T20 statistics of Babar Azam suggest that he scores heavily in the format with a considerable strike rate. He has scored 2686 runs in the T20 international format with a spectacular average of 45.52 in the T20 international format. Furthermore, he has made 26 half centuries and one hundred in the T20 international format. He is the key for Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022 if it wants to win the tournament.
Babar Azam has a great experience playing cricket in the UAE. He has represented Pakistan in numerous games as well as played for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League. The experience can help Babar in the event. Pakistan needs to use Babar Azam well in the Asia Cup 2022. The player should play his natural game in the tournament which revolves around the gameplay of playing smart. Babar steadily builds the innings and takes charge in the middle overs.
The Survival
If Babar Azam survives in the powerplay overs, he will certainly be one of the most dangerous players in the middle overs. For example, Afghanistan has Rashid Khan. Moreover, India has the services of the spin marvel Yuzvendra Chahal. UAE is the tricky wicket for batting. Undoubtedly if Babar survives the powerplay overs, he can take charge against the spin bowlers. The runs against the spin bowlers will serve as the most significant form of performance for the Pakistan Cricket Team. Surely, the presence of Babar Azam has sparked Pakistan’s chances of winning the Asia Cup 2022.
Shaheen Afridi
Shaheen Afridi is the left-arm emerging pacer from Pakistan. He is regarded as ‘ The Eagle ‘ in international cricket. Shaheen is capable of demolishing the best line-ups in the world. It is one of the toughest tasks to face him in the powerplay overs. Most of the wickets Shaheen takes are in the opening overs. He is ranked number three in the T20 international rankings. Everybody knew the potential of Shaheen Afridi. However, the performance against India in the T20 World Cup 2021 has given the limelight to the fast bowler. Pakistan was an underdog in the event. The Indian openers were strong enough to demolish the bowling attack of Pakistan.
However, Afridi did not give KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to survive on the wicket. The perfect in-swingers gave birth to fear in the minds of the best opening batsmen. Certainly, with time, Shaheen has also improved as a death-over. After Matthew Wade smashed him for three sixes that ended the stint of Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021, Afridi would like to end the stains. He will restart from the same place against India on August 27.
The T20I Statistics
The T20I statistics of Shaheen Shah Afridi are spectacularly impressive for a 22-year-old fast bowler. Afridi has taken 47 wickets in the 40 T20 international matches with a bowling average of 24.31 in the format. He has experience playing regular cricket in the UAE due to Lahore Qalandars and Pakistan’s home matches. Asia Cup 2022 expects Afridi to fire in the tournament. Along with Babar Azam, Shaheen is the player to watch out for Pakistan.
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav has all the flavors in his batting gameplay of demolishing the bowling attack of the opposition. He is the player who has grabbed the attention of cricket pundits from all over the world. Yadav is capable to take the victory from the jaws of the competitor. He plays the pace and spin bowlers equally well. He strikes the ball tremendously hard which can light up the stands of the Dubai International Stadium.
Furthermore, he is the number one ranked batsman in the T20 international rankings. After the departure of AB de Villiers from international cricket, he has proved to be the Mr. 360 degree in cricket. Yadav has enough experience of facing the best bowlers in the world. In the Indian Premier League, he is considered one of the best batters. The league has the services of the best T20 bowlers from all around the world. He has won many matches for his franchise Mumbai Indians in the league.
Furthermore, his team has won 5 titles which speaks up to the volume of his match-winning performances in the league. Do you think he can top the leading run-scorers list in the Asia Cup 2022? Do you feel he can hit the highest number of sixes in the tournament? If yes, then could go to the best online cricket sportsbook sites in India to find out what the actual odds suggest.
The T20I Statistics
Yadav had a spectacular stint for India in the T20 international cricket he has played thus far. Such as the right-handed batsman has scored 672 in the 21 innings with a batting average of 37.33 and a strike rate of 175.45. Undoubtedly, the strike rate is astonishing in the T20 international format. Taking the wicket of Yadav will be one of the hectic tasks for the team in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022. For me, he is the trump card for India in the tournament.
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan is a premium name in the line-up of spin bowlers. He is the star and iconic player of all the best T20I leagues in the world. Pakistan Super League, Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, and all the top-notch leagues have witnessed the spin masterclass of Rashid Khan. Surely, Rashid Khan is one of the most difficult bowlers to face in the middle-overs. The flipper of Rashid Khan is renowned for demolishing the wickets of the top batsmen. The Googly of the Afghanistan superstar is tremendously difficult to pick for the batsmen.
Despite doing homework, batsmen often have trouble while playing the top spinner which the Afghanistan leg-spinner delivers. He has an edge of playing regularly in the UAE. As Afghanistan has hosted its matches in the country as well as the Shapeeza T20 league was also played, Rashid Khan knows the conditions well. If Afghanistan wants to do well, Rashid Khan needs to fire up spectacularly in the Asia Cup 2022.
Furthermore, Rashid not only provides phenomenal charge as a bowler, but he can produce enthralling performances as a batsman. In recent times, the Afghanistan all-rounder has played spectacular innings with the bat which guided his teams to unbelievable wins. Rashid can hit sixes demonstrating an unorthodox playing style that shocks cricket fans. He can provide great utility performances as a hard-hitting batsman for Afghanistan in the lower order.
The T20I statistics
Rashid Khan has wonderful statistics in the T20 International format. He has taken 109 wickets in the 62 games with a bowling average of 13.23. If we look at the T20 international rankings, Rashid Khan is the number three ranked bowler in the official rankings. Rashid Khan has an impressive economy rate of 6.13 in the T20 international format. Moreover, he dismissed the batsmen with a brilliant strike rate of 12.9.
Wanindu Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the cricket sensations that has impressed everyone while producing spectacular performances in the circuit. In all the best T20 leagues in the world, Hasaranga is in full demand. He is one of the hottest picks in the T20 tournament. Hasanranga is only a spin marvel but can be extremely well in the T20 format. Hasaranga has a knack for taking quick wickets in the middle-overs.
The Sri Lankan captain trusts Hasaranga to make a breakthrough if the wickets don’t come for his side. It is unbelievable to see what Hasaranga has achieved in such a long time. The leg-break of Wanindu often shatters the stumps of the batsmen. The mysterious googly of the emerging gives birth to the shocking reactions on the faces of the batsmen. He is only 25. Furthermore, he is ranked 7th in the official T20 international rankings. Does the breathtaking deliveries of Hasaranga the only demonstration which grabs the attention of the cricket pundits? Hasaranga bats aggressive and often puts on a great show with the bat. When the Sri Lankan team required him to step up, he performed spectacularly well with the bat while scoring sixes all over the park.
Do you think he will be the player who will get the highest number of wickets in the Asia Cup 2022? Moreover, what do whisper in your head while imagining Hasaranga as the most hard-hitting batsman in the upcoming tournament? Can he hit the most number of sixes? What do the odds suggest? Certainly, there are some best online cricket sportsbook sites in India to help you out in taking your decision.
The T20I Statistics
Wanindu Hasaranga has represented Sri Lanka in 38 T20 internationals. He has spectacular statistics in the T20 international format. After playing 38 players, Hasaranga has taken 62 scalps with a phenomenal bowling average of 14.4. He has an impressive economy rate of 6.61 in the format. He has a mind-boggling bowling strike rate of 12.8 in the format. You could assume that these statistics are enough to make him one of the best packages in the world? Nope! Hasanraga can provide the utility with the bat. He holds the batting average of 14.69 with a strike rate of 120.88. He has the highest score of 71 in the format. If Sri Lanka desires to stand a chance in the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022. it needs Hasanranga to fire.
Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is one of the best all-rounders to play the game of cricket. He has represented Bangladesh in 300-plus international games. Surely, the experience of Shakib speaks for itself. He has contributed to the major success stories of Bangladesh cricket. In most of the cases, we witness Bangladesh doing well, Shakib has a great role in winning. He is one of the prolific players in the T20 leagues. Shakib can come in the middle and play a steady knock as well as smash the ball out of the park. If the wickets fall at the top, Shakib is capable of stabilizing the innings with his classic and precise batting technique. Furthermore, teams can also trust to send Shakib in the death overs.
In the death overs, Shakib has a batting trait of hitting hard and guiding his team to a terrific total. With all his wonderful abilities, Shakib is also a spectacular slow left-arm orthodox bowler. The captains often try him in the middle overs. Shakib always bowls tight lines and lengths to contain the batsman. Moreover, he has helped Bangladesh numerous times in providing a breakthrough. In the UAE, the conditions are favorable for spin bowlers. That’s why I feel Shakib is a key player for Bangladesh in the event. It will be interesting to see how Bangladesh uses Shakib Al Hasan in the mega event.
The T20I Statistics
Shakib Al Hasan has represented Bangladesh in 99 matches. It is the second-most number of matches a player played for Bangladesh. The all-rounder has impressive T20I statistics in the format. He holds a batting average of 23.10 with a strike rate of 120.86. The highest score of Shakib Al Hasan in T20I cricket is 84. If we talk about his bowling statistics, Shakib has amazing bowling statistics. He has taken 121 wickets with a bowling average of 19.95. Moreover, the economic rate of Bangladesh all-rounder is pretty less. He holds has an economy rate of 6.69 in the format. Undoubtedly the chances of Bangladesh can spark to a high level if he performs well with both bat and ball.
Virat Kohli
I know Virat Kohli is facing a rough patch in his career but we just cannot put him out of the game. Everybody knows Kohli is one of the greatest players to play the game despite the tough circumstances going on in his career. He has the capacity of making terrific comebacks. Kohli has demonstrated this potential in the past. He can do the same in the Asia Cup 2022. The batsman needs no introduction but we should at least talk about the shots in his cricketing textbook.
Spectacular leg-side flick. Remarkable Cover-Drive. Scintillating Straight Drive. Gorgeous Pull-Shot. Beautiful Cut Shot. Virat Kohli has everything from the cricketing textbook. The numbers demonstrate the greatness of the batsman. He has scored 71 international centuries. India was so close to winning the T20 World Cup when he scored the highest number of runs in the T20 World Cup 2014. He took his team to the semi-final with the scintillating display in the 2016 T20 World Cup. What else? India won Asia Cup 2016 and Kohli performed terrifically well in the event. Kohli is a great fielder plus his energy keeps team India together on the field. Will Kohli start his journey of redemption from the Asia Cup 2022?
The T20I Statistics
Virat Kohli has the best T20I statistics among all the players who have played the format. Kohli has the highest average among the batsmen who have played at least 50 innings. He has a splendid batting average of 50.12 in the format. The strike rate of Kohli is astonishing as he strikes the ball with the number of 137.66. The consistency of carrying the average of 50+ in the shortest format is amazing. This is the time for big fish to carry his form. Time to start his new story. Right from Pakistan vs India Asia Cup 2022 encounter on August 28, 2022.