Asia's All-Time Strongest Left Handers Playing XI

The 2018 Asia Cup has begun with a stunning upset on the very first day as Sri Lanka were thrashed by an emerging Bangladesh team. The Asia Cup has been an important tournament over the years and this year the stakes have only become higher.

Asia is emerging as the powerhouse of the sport of Cricket with established teams like India, Pakistan and Srilanka and emerging countries like Afghanistan and Bangladesh performing brilliantly in International competitions.

In the last ICC Tournament that was played in 2017, Pakistan were the Champions and India finished as the Finalist in that competition. Bangladesh were the third team from Asia to make the Semi-Finals of the Champions Trophy. Srilanka too have a history of performing brilliantly in Multi-Nation tournaments and Afghanistan is the most interesting prospect in World Cricket.

Asia Cup is slowly becoming the Euro Trophy of Cricket. Asia Cup over the years has seen some of the best players in Cricket history ply their trade for their country and this article tries to put forward the best team of Lefthanders from Asia.

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Openers: Sanath Jayasuriya & Saeed Anwar

Jayasuriya was extremely efficient in the 1996 World Cup and was one of the most important reasons behind Sri Lanka winning their first and the only World Cup

Sanath Jayasuriya is one the biggest names in Asian Cricket when it comes to batting and is by far the best left-handed opening batsman to have emerged from Asia in ODIs. He was phenomenal for the Lankans at the top throughout his career.

Jayasuriya was extremely efficient in the 1996 World Cup and was one of the most important reasons behind Sri Lanka winning their first and the only World Cup. He revolutionised the way Cricket was played in the 90s and will remain an important player in the history of the game.

Saeed Anwar was another player who played a majority of his cricket in the 90s and was an extremely important player for the Pakistan team at that time. He was prolific for his team at the top and his record for the highest score in an ODI Innings stood for more than a decade.

Middle Order: Sourav Ganguly(C), Kumar Sangakkara & Yuvraj Singh

Sourav Ganguly is probably the most important batsman of this team and he would slot in at No. 3

This middle order is one of the strongest middle order that any dream team can have. Sourav Ganguly is probably the most important batsman of this team and he would slot in at No. 3 in this team to accommodate Anwar and Jayasuriya at the top.

Kumar Sangakkara is the most successful Left-handed batsman in International Cricket in Asia and he will form the fulcrum of this team. The team will revolve around the Wicket-keeper batsman from Srilanka.

Yuvraj Singh is one of the best ODI players that India has ever produced and he would find a place in most ODI XI's of all time and this list is no exception.

Yuvraj was phenomenal for the Indian team in the 2000s and will play the role of a finisher or as a typical middle order batsman depending on the situation in this team.

Lower-Middle Order: Arjuna Ranatunga & Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib is probably the best player that Bangladesh has ever produced and he is also the best Left-Arm all-rounder that Asia ever had

Arjuna Ranatunga was the pillar of Srilankan batting when the team had won the 1996 World Cup. He remains the only captain from Sri Lanka to win a World Cup as a captain and he has been hailed by the Srilankan public for getting their country the coveted trophy.

Ranatunga has scored more than 7000 ODI Runs and has established himself as an Asian Icon in Cricket and it is only fitting that he finds a place in this team. The only All-rounder's place in the team has been occupied by Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib is probably the best player that Bangladesh has ever produced and he is also the best Left-Arm All Rounder that Asia ever had.

He has been ranked amongst the top All-Rounders in World Cricket across all formats for a number of years now and he would definitely play an important role in this team.

Lower Order: Mohammad Rafique & Wasim Akram

Akram is arguably the best bowler the World Cricket has ever seen and he would find a place in any World XI, forget an Asian line-up

Mohammad Rafique is the best spinner that Bangladesh has produced. He was an invaluable asset for his team at a time when they were taking baby steps into International Cricket.

Rafique has played in 125 matches and has picked 125 wickets for his country in ODIs. He was a pillar of strength for the emerging Bangladeshi team of the late 90s and early 2000s. Another inspiring figure of Asian Cricket who makes this team is Wasim Akram.

Akram is arguably the best bowler the World Cricket has ever seen and he would find a place in any World XI, forget an Asian line-up.

He redefined fast bowling in the 90s and was instrumental in helping Pakistan win their only World Cup in 1992.

Pace Bowlers: Chaminda Vaas & Irfan Pathan

Vaas along with Muralitharan formed a potent combo and the duo was involved in a number of match-winning bowling spells together

Chaminda Vaas comes next only to Akram in terms of the number of wickets picked in ODIs and he has been a phenomenal bowler for the Lankan team over the years. He was an extremely consistent bowler for the Lankan team in the 2000s.

Vaas along with Muralitharan formed a potent combo and the duo was involved in a number of match-winning bowling spells together. The third pacer to find a place in the team is India's, Irfan Pathan.

Pathan was a phenomenal talent during his prime and had scalped 179 Wickets in just 120 ODIs. He was a phenomenal talent who was lost due to an injury which changed his career forever.