Asia Cup 2018: Pre-tournament XI of best players in the competition

Middle order

#4 Angelo Mathews

With an experience of 200 ODIs, 5000+ runs and 114 wickets in his kitty and a calm head on his shoulders, this Sri Lankan all-rounder is capable of changing the match in few overs. He can well prove to be the match decisive player by his medium pace and hard-hitting exploits with the bat.

His innings of 97 runs in his last ODI against South Africa to take his team over the line is a perfect epitome of his abilities. Given the pitches of the UAE, his medium pace, if well executed, can prove to be game-changing.

#5 MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper)

He is the most experienced player in the Asia Cup and he needs to be there for obvious reasons. Just his presence and experience will give a lot to the team. His batting average of 50+ across all positions in the middle order is enough to justify his inclusion.

His ability to rotate strike makes other players play around him. His lightening glovework behind the stumps and above-par finishing ability makes him a perfect number 5 batsman for the team. With the experience of captaining the national side for 10 years, he definitely adds the X-factor to the team.

#6 Shakib Al Hasan

He is one of the biggest cricketers Bangladesh has ever produced. It is impossible to exclude a player of his calibre from the side. He has a batting average of 35.51 and 237 wickets in just 185 innings. With luck on his side, he can single-handedly win matches for his team. Furthermore, he is also topping the charts of ODI all-rounders.

#7 Sarfraz Ahmed (captain)

The man who led his side to victory in the Champions Trophy 2017 and the person who made his mark in the world of cricket with his captaincy skills (having a win percentage of 70.83 in ODI) grabs the position of captain in our squad. With the ability to hit hard in the death overs, he can help his team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.