Asia Cup 2010 - Preview

Cricket lovers; get ready for some serious cricket action amidst the much hyped FIFA atmosphere. 15^th June marks the beginning of the clash of the Asian Titans in the land of defending champions Sri Lanka. While there seems to be no clear superior among the four participant teams, every team will compete against each other once in the group stage, with the two top teams making it to the final, and one team ultimately emerging as CHAMPIONS!

Asia Cup coming up ..

Although the Men in Blue managed to defeat Zimbabwe in both the T20 internationals, they have still not been able to maintain a consistency in the ODI arena, especially in the presence of some young or rather inexperienced players and the absence of the senior lot, without who the team looks like just another side captained by a 23 year old Suresh Raina. Team India’s performance in recent times has also affected the ICC Rankings that are of much importance to the team as well as a player’s career. The Asia Cup gives Dhoni and his men another ray of hope to regain the lost stature which will ultimately establish India as a stable one-day side, capable of handling the strongest of competitions. With the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh missing from the side, it will be interesting to watch the young guns shoulder greater responsibility towards their team. Virender Sehwag’s return to the squad will send a positive vibe in the Indian dressing room and in Tendulkar’s absence; Gambhir will open the innings along with Viru. Indian fans will hope to see the sizzling chemistry between the duo re-ignite at the top order. Gambhir has not been in the best of his form lately, but a strong back up in the form of Sehwag will definitely be an added advantage for him. The in-form Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are most likely to make it to the middle order. Both batsmen will be trying to gain a permanent spot in the side, considering their recent glimpses of form that we have witnessed. Skipper MS Dhoni will once again play his role as a floater in the middle overs and with Yuvi missing, he might just have to stay at the crease for long. We have seen the genius of Suresh Raina’s batting and it is he who will be given the license to kill in the role of a finisher for the team’s lower-middle order.

India’s bowling has always been a cause of concern and it continues to be. Mr. Dependable Zaheer Khan will be once again spearheading the attack along with Ashish Nehra. The primary concern lies in the recent form of both these bowlers. They have failed to deliver when needed and their performance here will determine India’s chances of progressing further in the tournament. The turbanator, Harbhajan Singh will lead the spin bowling, with some support from Ravindra Jadeja, who surprisingly was India’s leading wicket-taker in the ODI series in Zimbabwe. The fifth bowler spot seems to be vacant for the likes of R. Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda and Praveen Kumar. Much will depend on Dhoni’s decision to play an extra spinner or a pacer, considering the conditions favorable to either of the two.

The mighty Lankans take on Pakistan in the opening match of the tournament. Sri Lanka goes in without the out-of-form Jayasuriya and Farvez Maharoof replaces Ajantha Mendis, while Pakistan looks much stronger now with the recall of senior players like former captain Shoaib Malik and veteran pacer Shoaib Akhtar. Shahid Afridi’s captaincy will be put to test after much speculation on his appointment as Pakistan’s new captain in all three formats of the game.

Here’s wishing the Asian nations all the very best!