3 star players to watch out for in Asia Cup 2018

So the much awaited Asia Cup 2018 is underway and it all began with Bangladesh getting off to a winning start courtesy of a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka despite an injury to Tamim Iqbal that will rule him out of the rest of the tournament.

Teams are looking at this tournament as an opportunity to identify their best combinations ahead of the World Cup next year in England. Performances of each and every player will be observed closely and the ones who manage to perform under pressure will get very close to clinching that ever-so-crucial spot in the World Cup squad.

While some players won't be taking part in the Asia Cup due to injury and because they are being rested, there are still plenty of other players who will generate a lot of interest among the fans in the UAE.

Here are 3 star players to watch out for in Asia Cup 2018.

MS Dhoni

He has been India's go-to man for over a decade now in limited-overs cricket. Widely regarded as the greatest finisher of all-time as he enters the twilight of his career, his powers have taken a hit. After some incredible performances in the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings, everyone thought that he is back to his very best but his performances have been indifferent since then.

In England he was criticized for batting too slow which often built too much pressure on the batters at the other end . Although he has cleared his intentions of playing in the 2019 World Cup, he needs to score runs in order to keep his place in the side.

Though his experience is invaluable for the team, runs off his bat will also make a huge impact on the team. Indians fans will hope and pray that their hero comes out all guns blazing and proves all his doubters wrong once again.

Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman recently scored an ODI double hundred vs Zimbabwe

First came into the spotlight when he scored a match-winning ton against India in the final of Champions Trophy 2017 and showed signs of being a big match player. He then scored 91 runs against Australia in the tri-series final in Harare to help Pakistan secure the title.

If this wasn't enough, he scored a terrific ODI double hundred against Zimbabwe to become the first ever Pakistani to achieve that feat. He comes in as a blessing for a team which has struggled to find a solid opener for a long time now. His runs at the top will be a huge factor in deciding how close Pakistan get to the trophy.

Thisara Perera

He had a decent series vs South Africa

A decent fast bowler and a power hitter lower down the order, he has all the qualities that a fast bowling all-rounder should possess. He showed a lot of promise when he first emerged on the scene back in 2009 but he hasn't really delivered since then.

He showed glimpses of what he can do against South Africa earlier this year but his team definitely expects more from him. After having played franchise cricket across the globe, Sri Lanka needs him to use his experience and deliver performances consistently.

If he fails to perform this time in the UAE, he might not get too many opportunities in the future.