Ranking Top 5 Cricket Teams in Asian Games
The Asain Games 2022 will be held from September 23 to October 8, 2023, in Hangzhou, China. Men’s cricket will be played from September 27 to October 7 and during this period, 15 teams will strive to showcase their best to return home with the coveted gold medal.
In the competition, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will begin their campaigns in the quarter-final stage while 11 other teams will play two games each in the league round. Among those 11 sides, only four that will end on the top of the points table will advance to the knockouts. Ahead of the Asian competition, it’s imperative to rank the top five men’s cricketing teams in the Asian Games
Here are the rankings of the top five cricket teams in the Asian Games
5. Afghanistan
After the disappointing campaign in the 2023 Asia Cup, Afghanistan will look to showcase their mettle in the Asian Games. They will be required to beat Mongolia to advance to the knockouts. In the recently concluded Asia Cup 2023, the Afghan side lost their group matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which led to their exit from the tournament.
Cricket previously featured in the Asian Games in 2014. Afghanistan ended up in that competition with the Silver medal, getting beaten by Sri Lanka in the final by 68 runs. This time, their endeavours will be to do wonders in Hangzhou and achieve the distinguished gold medal.
Afghanistan are currently ranked 10th in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 International (T20I) rankings. Against Asian teams such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, their T20I record has been decent. At the Asian Games 2022, they will be expected to play fearless cricket to emerge victorious.
4. Bangladesh
Bangladesh failed to display their best in the 2023 Asia Cup as their journey in the continental tournament concluded in the Super Four round. However, their campaign ended on a positive note in the continental competition as they registered a six-run win against India in their final match.
In the 2014 Asian Games, Mashrafe Mortaza captained Bangladesh and helped his side end up in the third position on the points table with two wins in three games. The Bangla side returned home with the bronze medal, beating Hong Kong in the Bronze Medal match to clinch the coveted medal.
With the 2023 World Cup ahead, Bangladesh might not send their best players to participate in the 2022 Asian Games which means there will be a perfect opportunity for young players to exhibit their potential and help their team grab the gold medal in the competition.
3. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka will look to win the gold medal again in the Asian Games. Back in 2014, Sri Lanka not only won their maiden T20 World Cup title in Bangladesh but also became the winner of the Asian Games Men’s Competition. Under the leadership of Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan to win the medal.
Like India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka might also not send their key players to represent the nation in the Asian Games due to the 2023 World Cup in India. Sri Lanka have a lot of T20 players who can help them have an amazing campaign in the upcoming Asian tournament. In the absence of their star players, some youngsters will look to grab the opportunity with both hands in Hangzhou.
2. Pakistan
Pakistan have recently announced their squad for the 2022 Asian Games. Qasim Akram is given the responsibility to captain the team in the competition. The youngster will get the support of Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain who have the experience of playing alongside senior team members such as Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in international cricket.
Pakistan’s second-string team has a lot of young players who could set the stage on fire with their impressive performances. For youngsters such as skipper Qasim, vice-captain Omair Bin Yousuf, and wicketkeeper batter Rohail Nazir, the tournament could deliver experiences that could help them build their careers.
1. India
India were the first side to announce the Asian Games 2022 squad. Ahead of the announcement, Team India fans were expecting Shikhar Dhawan to captain a young side in the massive competition but selectors showed faith in the 26-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead the pack.
Gaikwad, who ended up as the second-leading run-getter for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), is a reliable figure to captain the team as his IPL numbers are not only credible but his record in India’s domestic cricket is amazing as well. Along with Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Arshdeep Singh will also tour China for the Asian competition.
In India’s squad, all players have played a lot of cricket in the cash-rich IPL which is known for its immense level of competition. These players will be expected to make India’s debut in the Asian Games incredible, helping the team claim the gold medal with their cricketing excellence.
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