5 best knocks of Asia Cup 2023's group stage ft. Mohammad Nabi

The group stage of the Asia Cup 2023 concluded on Tuesday, with Sri Lanka trumping Afghanistan in a close contest at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

With the win, Sri Lanka topped Group B to make it to the next phase of the tournament alongside Bangladesh. Arch-rivals Pakistan and India made it to the Super Fours from Group A, while Nepal were knocked out after losing both their group games.

Despite rain threats over matches in Sri Lanka, the group stage of the continental tournament witnessed some exciting games. There were a few scintillating batting performances as well.

On that note, let's take a look at the five best knocks of Asia Cup 2023's group stage.

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#1 Mohammad Nabi - 65 off 32 vs Sri Lanka

Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi slammed a 24-ball half-century that almost helped the team beat Sri Lanka in the final group game in Lahore.

Nabi walked in at No. 6 after the dismissal of Rahmat Shah and tore into the Lankan attack. He raced to 18 off just 13 deliveries before dispatching Matheesha Pathirana for two boundaries and a six in the 23rd over.

Nabi reached the 50-run mark in just 24 balls, making it the fastest half-century by an Afghan in ODIs. He leapfrogged Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who previously held the record, having achieved the feat in 26 balls.

Mohammad Nabi ultimately perished in the 27th over after scoring 65 off 32 balls at a strike rate of 203.12, including six boundaries and five sixes.

His herculean effort, however, wasn't enough to help Afghanistan register a victory as they fell short by two runs.

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#2 Babar Azam - 151 off 131 balls vs Nepal

Although it came against a weaker opposition like Nepal, scoring 150 is no mean feat. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam set the tone of the tournament with an excellent 151 in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal in Multan.

After being reduced to 25/2, the Men in Green needed a big partnership. Babar held one end tightly and took his time to settle down before unleashing his shots.

The World No. 1 batter put his side on top by the time he got out, smashing a breathtaking 151 off just 131 deliveries, including 14 boundaries and four sixes.

With that knock, he became the first captain to score 150 in the Asia Cup. Babar pipped Virat Kohli's record as the former India captain held the top spot with his 136 against Bangladesh in Fattulah in 2014.

Iftikhar Ahmed also smashed an unbeaten hundred as Pakistan posted 342 runs on the board. They then bowled out Nepal for just 104, winning the game by 238 runs to begin their Asia Cup campaign on a superb note.

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#3 Ishan Kishan - 82 off 81 balls vs Pakistan

Although Ishan Kishan has played many bigger knocks than this, it will always be special for him. Ishan landed in Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup as a second-choice wicketkeeper but an injury to KL Rahul presented the former with an opportunity to stake his claim in the side.

The context of the match made it more significant. The left-handed batter walked out to bat, with India at 48/3 and were soon reduced to 66/4. Shaheen Afridi was breathing fire under overcast conditions.

Ishan joined hands with Hardik Pandya to rebuild India's innings and added 138 runs for the fifth wicket to put the team back into the contest. The Jharkhand-born cricketer scored 82 off 81 balls, including nine boundaries and two sixes.

Ishan's knock has put the management in a dilemma of picking Rahul ahead of the former in their first Super Four game of the Asia Cup.

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#4 Kusal Mendis - 92 off 84 balls vs Afghanistan

The final game of the Asia Cup 2023 group stage saw Sri Lanka go up against Afghanistan, with both teams vying for a win to progress through to the next phase.

The Lankan Lions opted to bat first and got off to a decent start. Kusal Mendis came out to bat, with the scorecard reading 63/1 in 10.2 overs. The wicketkeeper-batter took some time to settle but gradually changed gears. While Sri Lanka lost wickets from the other end, Mendis stood tall against adversities and produced a scintillating knock.

He put his team in the driver's seat with a 92-run knock from 84 deliveries, including six boundaries and three sixes.

He was unlucky to miss his third ODI hundred as he was run out at the non-striker's end after Rashid Khan dropped a sitter. The ball hit the wickets after getting deflected from Rashid's hands and caught Mendis short of his crease.

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#5 Hardik Pandya - 87 off 90 balls vs Pakistan

The ace all-rounder has matured as a cricketer ever since he was appointed as the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper ahead of IPL 2022. He has earned a reputation for being calm and composed against adversities.

Hardik Pandya showed a lot of these attributes during his knock against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup. With India struggling at 66/4, he shared a 138-run stand with Ishan to bail the team out of danger. Hardik took minimal risk, hitting only seven boundaries and one six, to register his second-highest knock in 50-over cricket.

Hardik's 87 off 90 deliveries helped India post 266 runs on the board before the heavens opened up. No further play was possible and the game was abandoned, with the two teams taking one point each.