Asia Cup begins tonight; The teams to test preparedness for T20 World Cup
Asia Cup begins tonight; The teams to test preparedness for T20 World Cup: The unpredictable T20 format and the growth of the game in the UAE have the ability to make the 2022 Asia Cup a great edition. The Asia Cup is beginning on the 27th of August. It is considered the most closely fought edition ever.
Excluding the lone qualifier Hong Kong, the five other teams have a record seven-time champions like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
The tournament is set to be staged in the T20 format after six years. The stage had to be moved to the UAE after hosts Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh can beat each other on their day.
Sri Lanka has shown disappointment in its inability to organize it amid the economic crisis faced by the nation.
Though the conditions in the UAE are going to be different from the World Cup in Australia in October-November, all the competing sides are looking to identify their final squad for the ICC World Cup over the course of the next two weeks.
There is enough for the participating teams. India is thinking to take an aggressive approach in a high-pressure environment. Their first match is with the arch-rivals, Pakistan on Sunday.
All eyes are glued on Virat Kohli. Kohli is expected to come out of a prolonged lean patch. The performance of the top three including skipper NSE -2.32 % Rohit Sharma and K L Rahul are going to be in focus. On the other hand, injured pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be missed.
Pakistan is aiming to win the tournament they last won in 2012. The Asia Cup was played in the ODI format in 2012. They have been pegged back by the injury of the star pacer Shaheen Afridi who has been ruled out of the tournament.
With the middle-order being inexperienced, there is going to be over-dependence on the opening duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
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