C T Online Desk: Asia’s cricket giants India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will get a final chance to size each other up before October’s 50-over World Cup when the Asia Cup begins today.
Babar Azam’s Pakistan, who became the world’s top-ranked ODI team after last week’s 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan, open their campaign at home today against Asia Cup debutants Nepal in a Group A match in Multan.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh, who have had a difficult build-up with Tamim Iqbal stepping down as captain and missing the tournament due to back injury as he tries to get fit for the World Cup, will begin their Group B campaign against other co-host Sri Lanka in Kandy tomorrow. Afghanistan are the third team in this group.
Fiery rivals India and Pakistan could clash as many as three times if they go all the way in the six-nation continental championship.Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosts, a hybrid model agreed after World Cup hosts India refused to tour Pakistan, with the final on September 17 in Colombo.
Azam, who scored 113 runs in the Afghanistan series, leads a side containing a triple-pronged fast bowling attack in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. World Cup hosts India, led by Rohit Sharma, will open their campaign against Pakistan in a hotly anticipated clash on Saturday in Pallekele.
India and Pakistan, who only play against each other in international tournaments due to the countries’ longstanding political tensions, are expected to meet again in the Super Four stage and could face off for a third time in the final.
“It’s not just Pakistan, there are other teams,” Rohit said of the hype surrounding the Pakistan clashes, with the rivals also scheduled to meet in the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 14.
“Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last year. So there are other teams who are playing good cricket and will challenge us.”
Rohit said the Asia Cup was the perfect place to “test ourselves, try and put ourselves under pressure and respond to that pressure.”
The 50-over World Cup begins on October 5 in India.
Sri Lanka, who won the Asia Cup last year in Dubai when it was played as a Twenty20 tournament, have been hit by injuries and they only could announce their squad on Tuesday.
Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera is out of the tournament with a shoulder injury and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will also miss the tournament with a thigh strain.
Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who previously led Bangladesh for 50 one-day internationals between 2009 and 2017, will lead the Tigers in the tournament after he was recently reappointed captain through to the end of the World Cup.
Bangladesh have been also dealing with injury problems as pacer Ebadot Hossain missed the tournament with a knee injury while opener Liton Das would not be available for their opening game due to fever.
Afghanistan, despite their recent loss to Pakistan, can pose problems with their potent spin attack of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.
They also have in-form batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz who smashed 151 in a losing cause in the second game against Pakistan.
Minnows Nepal could be in for a baptism of fire having been clubbed with India and Pakistan in Group A.
The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four with the leading two in the standings contesting the final.
