The 2022 Asia Cup T20 kick starts this Saturday. Being played in UAE, the batters are sure to play an equally important role as the bowlers. Here are the five batters one should look out for.
It is that time of the year when Asian cricket will buzz in the Twenty20 (T20) fever, as the Asia Cup T20 2022 kicks off in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday. It is being hosted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) while the tournament was moved out of the island nation, citing Lanka's economic and political unrest. Nevertheless, it is unlikely to be sad news for the players, as the Gulf will be a good nation to play the tournament in, while the batters will likely make a heavy impact. In the same light, we present the five top batters to watch out for in the competition.
Babar Azam
Undoubtedly, he is the man in the best forms and probably the best batter in the limited-overs circuit worldwide. Ranked number one in the shortest format, he has been crucial for Pakistan and would aim to cement his supremacy, having scored 2,686 runs in 69 innings at a decent average of 45.53 and a strike rate of 129.45, including a ton and 26 half-centuries, with a top score of 122.
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Rohit Sharma
Next up is the Indian skipper, one of the reliable batters in the format. Besides being successful as a skipper in the format, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL), his batting numbers are formidable. He is the highest run-scorer in T20Is, amassing 3,487 in 124 at 31.7 and 140.27, including four centuries and 27 50s, with the best knock of 118.
KL Rahul
The Indian vice-captain has not played enough cricket in the past couple of months, while in the recently-concluded One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in Zimbabwe, he looked somewhat unsettled. However, given a player of his calibre, it won't take long to get back into the groove, especially since he is a T20 specialist. While his superb form in the IPL speaks for himself, his numbers in T20Is are laudable. He has scored 1,831 in 52 at 40.69 and 142.49, including twin tons and 16 half-centuries, with a top knock of 110.
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Dinesh Chandimal
The former Sri Lankan skipper and wicketkeeper-batter is one of the trusted batters in the side, having rescued the islanders on several instances of late. Thus, he will be desperate to fire and revive the lost glory of his side, while his batting prowess in the format is remarkable, especially in recent times.
Virat Kohli
Given his current form, he is not the ideal lad who can fire in any format. However, a player of Kohli's calibre can never be ruled out, while his numbers speak for himself, as Asia Cup could be the launching pad for his career comeback. In T20Is, he has 3,308 from 91 at a praiseworthy 50.12 and 137.66, including 30 50s and the best innings of 94.