The rank-turners in Sri Lanka have never made it to the good dreams of batters across the world. Bowlers, especially tweakers, have another story to chronicle about these raging decks. With both of the mega-events this year set to be played on Asian spin tracks, bowlers will definitely hold sway during the tourneys. More so, the bowlers in the Asia Cup would be waiting with bated breath to bamboozle the batters with their unfathomable spin prowess paired with the devils in the pitch.
They say batsmen win you games, while bowlers win you tournaments. Cricket has proved this phrase a multitudes of times and the upcoming tournament in Sri Lanka would definitely turn out to be another evidence in favour of this maxim.
The management of all teams will outdo themselves to put together a bowling lineup as explosive as they can. However, five bowlers in the Asia Cup will certainly be entering the stadiums with warning labels on them owing to their lethal bowling weaponry.
1. Naseem Shah, the beast among the bowlers in the Asia Cup
One of the jewels of Pakistan’s havoc-wreaking bowling line-up. The youngest of them all. The opposition needs not to be fooled by his baby face. A beast lives within Naseem Shah who bowls line and lengths with surgeon-like precision. The 20-year-old, in addition to being a master of swing, has a penchant for making the ball land right into the block-hole.
If you have only watched him bowl on Asian soil, you would most definitely think that he magically replaces the spin-friendly pitches with Australia-esque tops before he starts bowling to suit his quick deliveries.
The tearaway pacer is someone the opposition needs to do their homework for. With an average of 17.64 and an economy of 4.75 in ODI matches he played in Asia, the opposition can not afford to meet Naseem unprepared.
2. Rashid Khan and the art of blowing minds and timber
The universe does not have a lot of things more frightening than a Rashid Khan googly. Quick, deceiving, and ominous. Though Rashid’s armory is full of weapons capable of giving the batters sleepless nights, his wrong’un can be especially difficult to stay safe from.
The Afghan tweaker on rank-turners becomes a thousand-fold dangerous. Needless to say, we will witness many players going back to the pavilion after becoming his victim. With their heads dropped down and minds trying to make sense of what happened.
Rash, as they call him, averages only 17 with the ball in ODIs he has featured in Asia. He, undoubtedly, is a bowler you need to avoid getting on the wrong side of.
3. Mohammad Siraj carrying India’s hopes
Mohammad Siraj has very little experience of playing in any other Asian country than India. However, his ability to swing the ball to breach a batter’s defense can help him come out triumphant on Sri Lankan pitches as well.
A pure wicket-taker who can lift the morale of the Indian bowling line-up as he did when their main pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, was tending to his injury.
In only 17 ODI matches that he has played so far in Asia, he has struck the timbers after every 16 runs on average.
4. Maheesh Theekshana eyes destruction in the potential absence of his spin partner
With dark clouds looming over Wanindu Hasaranga’s inclusion in the Sri Lanka squad for the Asia Cup, Theekshana has a tough business to attend to.
A Sri Lankan spinner demands reverence especially when rolling his arms over on Asian decks. Theekshana has been one of his country’s main men with the ball during the CWC Qualifiers this year. His mystery spin can help him pull off the same during the Asia Cup as well.
Moreover, his striking frequency while leaking as few runs as possible will be what Dasun Shanaka will count on.
5. Taskin Ahmed’s love tale with taking wickets
Another seamer makes it to the list. None other than Bangladesh’s numero uno pacer, Taskin Ahmed. In Asia in ODIs, Ahmed has struck gold after every 22 runs he conceded.
Additionally, since the start of 2023, the right-arm quick has been adept with pocketing scalps for Bangladesh. Thus taking the seat of the country’s second-highest wicket-taker. Right now, he is in his prime form and his stats suggest that he will, to no one’s astonishment, be a key player for Bangladesh in both upcoming mega-events.
