Top 5 Players to Watch Out for at the 2023 Asia Cup

Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have hosted group-stage matches for the Asia Cup 2023. While there were weather delays during the games in Sri Lanka, there were none during the matches in Pakistan.

It was interesting and enjoyable to observe how young players performed in the few matches that have occurred. Despite the presence of seasoned players, newcomers have risen to the challenge. For their respective nations, they have produced performances that have won matches.

A multi-nation competition like the Asia Cup provides the opportunity for these aspiring cricket superstars to succeed. The Asia Cup is the ideal venue leading up to the World Cup. From this point forward, they can maintain their confidence. The second group of potential Shakib Al Hasan, Virat Kohli, and Lasith Malinga caliber top cricket stars may emerge from this set of games.

Let’s take a look at the up-and-coming players for the Asia Cup in 2023 in the same vein:

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1. Najmul Hossain Shanto

Najmul Hossain Shanto, a rookie batsman from Bangladesh, has recently been a revelation for his squad. The southpaw batter was a rising star in his nation’s cricket team. He was anticipated to be a standout batting prospect, but after a string of setbacks, he’s finally finding his stride.

Shanto is an excellent top-order compact hitter. He got off to a fantastic start in the 2023 Asia Cup. He batted a tough 89 in the opening game against Sri Lanka while standing by himself in one end. He once again produced in Bangladesh’s crucial must-win game against Afghanistan. He reached the three-figure threshold this time when working with Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das (for the first phase) being absent gave Najmul Shanto an excellent opportunity to showcase his abilities. Unfortunately, he had an injury after the second game that forced him to withdraw from the entire . The extent of the injury is still unknown, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to play in the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2023. Even if he doesn’t participate, he still has time to rejoin the national team and secure his position going forward.

 

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2. Ibrahim Zadran

Young Afghan prodigy Ibrahim Zadran has revolutionized their batting. For his squad, the opener has been scoring significant goals. He has a stable disposition and is a small opening bat. He needs a lot of work on his technical abilities, but he has the correct attitude.

In the same number of games and 18 ODI innings, Zadran has scored 904 runs. He achieved the best ODI score by an Afghan cricketer. It denotes a promising career’s bright future. He has eight 50+ scores in those 18 innings, including four hundreds and four fifties.

But Zadran must also improve his consistency. He must set the tone for incoming batters because he is the opener. His string of single-digit scores could be cause for concern. He can be more dangerous if he can offer the solidity and then go off later in the innings. He hasn’t yet succeeded in the Asia Cup, though, as his side was eliminated and was unable to advance to the Super 4 round of the competition.

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3.  Matheesha Pathirana

Matheesha Pathirana, a young bowling prodigy from Sri Lanka, is currently dominating the 2023 Asia Cup. Starting with the IPL earlier this year, where Pathirana made a significant contribution to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team’s victory in games. His bowling prowess was acknowledged by MS Dhoni. He now gets the chance to play for his country’s team as well.

He grabbed 4 wickets for 32 runs in the first match of the Asia Cup against Bangladesh. He bowled beautifully, earning Sri Lanka two points. The youthful seamer has been studying the fast bowling technique. He has an undeveloped yet promising talent. Playing games at home can give him a confidence boost and help him feel more at home.

Pathirana needs to be cared for and trained by Sri Lanka to become a deadly weapon. His peculiar bowling motion is remarkably similar to that of Lasith Malinga, a national hero. He also pitches Yorkers fairly well. He has the chance to step up and secure a spot in the Lankan side for the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2023 because veteran players aren’t available.

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4. Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan, an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, has the potential to help his country win the Asia Cup. The southpaw, who competes for the Mumbai Indians in the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL), came to his team’s recent match against Pakistan’s rescue. He usually bats first in limited-overs cricket, but had to play lower in the order because to the presence of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.

He took his time and did a good job of constructing the innings against Pakistan. He never appeared out of place. He created a strong partnership with Hardik. Although he has certain technical shortcomings, he will improve with time. He received Player of the Series honors even in the WI series.

If he can keep producing such game-changing knocks, the Asia Cup matches will be won by him. India has the potential to be a World Cup contender. For Rohit Sharma, a reliable lefty will provide numerous solutions to his selection conundrum.

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5. Towhid Hridoy

Towhid Hridoy, a young talent from Bangladesh, is one to keep an eye on. A cricketer with a robust temperament, the middle order bat recently made his international debut a few months ago. Towhid has the potential to be a powerful, agile player.

Even Ravi Ashwin, a modern-day legend in India, has heaped praise on Hridoy. He is a tenacious player on the field. Notably. He ended up hitting 92 off 85 balls while batting at number five in his maiden game. Following that, he continued to bat at the same position and consistently scored runs for the Bengal Tigers. Bangladesh appears to have a good middle order competitor, whilst teams like India struggle with finding one. In part, Mahmudullah Riyad and other good senior performers weren’t included in Bangladesh’s squad because of Hridoy’s impressive run down the order.

Hridoy’s bat once again displayed its prowess during the Super 4 match against the hosts Sri Lanka at this Asia Cup. Hridoy scored a valiant 82 off 97 balls in a game that Bangladesh had to win because the batters were crumbling from one end. Both cricket pundits and fans praised his tenacious performance. Despite the fact that he was unable to win the match, it appears that his career is on the rise.