Asia Cup 2018: Team of the group stages

The group stage of Asia Cup has finally concluded, after a number of shocks, thrills and upsets. After witnessing some riveting encounters over a course of 6 days, the action now shifts to the Super Four stage, with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh reaching the round-robin stage.

Expanding to 6 teams for the first time, the debutant teams made a robust impact on the proceedings. While Afghanistan ousted five-time champions Sri Lanka and pipped Bangladesh to top Group B, Hong Kong held their heads high after they nearly upset defending champions India with a valiant effort.

While the teams advanced to the next round largely due to their coordination and balance in the units, some individual performances shone out, even from the teams that were eliminated. We hereby compile the best XI from the group stages of the tournament.

Openers

Shikhar Dhawan (India)

The southpaw stamped his authority in white ball cricket after a lacklustre outing in England. Shikhar Dhawan made a brisk hundred in India's opening fixture against Hong Kong, with his 127 being the highest score from both the sides. Gabbar was awarded Man of the Match for his enthralling knock.

In the game against Pakistan, he complemented Rohit Sharma quite well at the top of the order chasing a mediocre target and destroyed the hopes, if any, which the opposition had.

Nizakat Khan (Hong Kong)

The Hong Kong opener punched well above his weight, showing no signs of nerves or immaturity as he brought his team knocking on the doors of victory. He laid a strong foundation to the chase of 286 against India with an opening stand of 174 along with his captain, and was unfortunate to miss out on his century by 8 runs.

Khan could not make an impact in his opening game against Pakistan, but his heroics in the second game finds him a place in the XI.

Middle Order

Ambati Rayudu (India)

Filling in the shoes of skipper Virat Kohli at No.3, Ambati Rayudu made the most of the opportunity by two impressive scores of 60 and 31* in the two games. Rayudu combined with Dhawan in the opening game to anchor India's innings forward.

His knock of 31* in the second game ensured that India reach the target comfortably with 21 overs to spare.

Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) (C) (WK)

Mushfiqur Rahim featured only in the tournament opener against Sri Lanka, and ripped apart the Lankan bowling attack with his controlled aggression. Losing Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan in the first over, and Tamim Iqbal due to an injury, Rahim batted with complete responsibility as he held ends together for his team.

Rahim stabilised the innings in the start and accelerated in the latter half with the help of a courageous Tamim Iqbal at the non-striker's end. He went on to score 144, the second-highest individual score in the Asia Cup.

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Hasmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan)

Though the Afghans won both their matches predominantly on their bowling, it was the batting of Shahidi in the middle overs that steered the team to a competitive total on both occasions. He combined with Rahmat Shah in the first game for an 80-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Shahidi also held things together for his team in the last game of the group stage, as he braved an attack by the Bangladeshi bowlers, enabling the team to recover from early setbacks. His knocks of 37 and 58 were worth in gold for Afghanistan, especially in such medium scoring games.

All Rounders

Kedar Jadhav (India)

Kedar Jadhav was instrumental in providing balance to the Indian side in the form of a sixth bowling option. He countered the Hong Kong attack with his unorthodox bowling, giving just 28 runs in his 7 overs. He also added 28 crucial runs in the score, coming to bat at 7.

Jadhav particularly created ripples in the game against Pakistan, as he ran through their middle order with his height variations, forcing the batsmen to make errors of judgement. He claimed 3 scalps in his quota of 9 overs.

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Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan)

Gulbadin Naib filled in the shoes of an all-rounder perfectly for the Afghans, making valuable contributions in both departments. He picked up two wickets apiece in the games with his handy medium arm bowling, proving to be a valuable asset in the midst of a plethora of spinners.

Naib played counter-attacking cricket against Bangladesh, steering the team out of troubled waters. His brisk 42 allowed Afghanistan put up a fighting total of 255 on the board.

Spinners

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

Be it domestic or international arena, Rashid Khan can just not be kept out of action. This time round, he impressed with the willow as well, as he gave the ball a good pasting lower down the order.

He bagged two wickets apiece in both the high-pressure encounters with his miserly leg spin, at an economy of 2.39. Rashid demonstrated his temperament amidst crisis with the bat as well, with a destructive 32-ball-57*, amassing 95 runs in the last 9 overs.

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Kuldeep Yadav (India)

The left-arm wrist spinner was in the thick of things yet again for India, showcasing his brilliance on two occasions within 24 hours. Kuldeep, along with his spin mates Chahal and Jadhav, played a key role in restricting Hong Kong, picking up 2 wickets in the process.

He also claimed the prize scalp of Babar Azam of Pakistan with a beauty, which gave an opening to their middle order, that was ripped apart by his teammates.

Fast Bowlers

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)

Going wicketless in the first game, Bhuvneshwar made a brilliant come back in the second game as his disciplined effort upfront put a good start for the opponent out of the reckoning. He dismissed both the opening batsmen in a space of 3 runs, weaving his mastery on a pitch that had nothing for the bowlers.

Bhuvi's blitz gave a dream start to India in the crucial encounter and he continued his brilliance by restricting runs, picking another wicket in the process. Kumar was adjudged Man of the Match for his 3 wickets.

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Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)

Returning to the international circuit after a year, Lasith Malinga proved his worth with twin strikes in the very first over. He was the pick of the bowlers in the opening game, picking up 4 wickets at an economy of 2.3. He was expensive in the second game, where all the pacers were taken on the attack and managed a wicket in the process.

However, his individual brilliance could not inspire the team as Sri Lanka became the first team to be eliminated from the Asia Cup.