Best playing 11 of Asia Cup 2023 ft. Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav

India clinched a record eighth Asia Cup title after a 10-wicket drubbing of Sri Lanka in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 17.

After Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka opted to bat first, a rain delay and overcast skies spiced things up for the new-ball bowlers. Mohammed Siraj ripped Sri Lanka's batting order apart en route to unbelievable returns of 6/21 as the co-hosts were sent crashing down for a paltry 50.

India's chase was never in doubt thereafter as they coasted home by 10 wickets, with Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan getting the job done without breaking a sweat. It was as complete a performance as the team could have asked for on the big occasion, particularly in the build-up to the World Cup next month.

The Asia Cup 2023 was characterized by a number of standout performances across all departments. While frequent rain intervals and a crammed schedule were talking points, the quality of the cricket on display will be spoken about for long.

As the tournament comes to its end, let's look back and pen down the best playing XI from the same:

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Openers - Rohit Sharma (c) and Shubman Gill

India's opening combination of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were at their pristine best throughout the Asia Cup 2023. They forged two century-run stands together against Nepal and Pakistan and their consistent tempo upfront set the tone for India with the bat.

While Rohit, who will also captain this XI, finished with 194 runs at an average of 48.50, including three half-centuries, Gill topped the run-scorers' charts with 302 runs. He averaged 75.50 and struck two half-centuries apart from a century against Bangladesh, which was arguably the best knock of the tournament.

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Middle Order - Kusal Mendis, KL Rahul (wk) and Charith Asalanka

A solid middle order sees KL Rahul flanked by Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka. All three batters enjoyed fine outings at the Asia Cup and made their mark with invaluable contributions on sluggish pitches.

Mendis finished with 270 runs at an average of 45, with three fifties to his name. It is worth noting that he fell twice in the nineties.

His teammate Asalanka brings left-handed variety to the playing XI on the back of 179 runs at an average of 44.75. He scored one half-century, apart from a measured unbeaten 49 against Pakistan that saw him hold his nerve and get his team past the finish line off the last delivery.

Returning from a long-standing injury, Rahul was a last-minute inclusion for India's Super Four clash against Pakistan. He turned in a chanceless unbeaten 111 before backing it up with a solid 34 against Sri Lanka on an extremely tough pitch, while also proving his match-fitness with neat displays of wicket-keeping.

Rahul will don the wicket-keeper's gloves in this side as well.

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All-rounders - Iftikhar Ahmed, Hardik Pandya and Dunith Wellalage

Iftikhar Ahmed's form was a major positive that emerged out of Pakistan's campaign at the Asia Cup 2023. The all-rounder struck 179 runs at an incredible strike rate of 122.60, including a stunning century against Nepal apart from a crucial 47 against Sri Lanka.

He also turned in four wickets and showed decent control with his off-spin, save for the India game where Rahul and Virat Kohli went hammer-and-tongs after the bowling.

Hardik Pandya's 87 under pressure against Pakistan was his only knock of note in the tournament, having got to bat on just one other occasion otherwise. It vaulted India out of the abyss, however, and he was in outstanding bowling rhythm throughout the tournament as he recorded six wickets at 11.33 apiece and an economy rate of 3.34.

Dunith Wellalage reiterated his reputation as an all-rounder for the long run on the back of a brilliant performance at the Asia Cup 2023. In the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, he took his chances with both hands to finish with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 4.26, displaying outstanding drift, control and turn.

Wellalage also made vital contributions with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 33 and 42 against Afghanistan and India respectively. Both innings came under difficult circumstances.

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Bowlers - Kuldeep Yadav, Shoriful Islam and Matheesha Pathirana

Apart from the aforementioned all-rounders, the troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Shoriful Islam and Matheesha Pathirana round off a potent bowling attack boasting a lot of variety.

Kuldeep bowled an incredibly tidy spell against Nepal before his five-wicket haul dismantled Pakistan in Colombo. That was followed by a four-fer that ended Sri Lanka's unbeaten streak of 13 wins in ODIs. While he barely had anything to do in the final, averaging 11.44 at an economy of 3.61 for those wickets justifies why he was adjudged the Player of the Tournament.

Shoriful slipped under the radar throughout the Asia Cup 2023. The left-arm seamer from Bangladesh was at his outstanding best with the new ball, often getting it to tail back into the right-handers and posing them a lot of questions. He finished with seven wickets from four outings at 18.71 apiece and an excellent economy rate of 4.51.

Pathirana's dream run in 2023 continued in the Asia Cup as he topped the wicket-takers' charts with 11 scalps from six outings at 24.54 apiece. His economy rate might read 6.61, but he largely had to operate under pressure - be it in the death overs or in the game against Afghanistan where Sri Lanka narrowly avoided elimination.

In that regard, Pathirana's returns were a massive shot in the arm for the Sri Lankans in the absence of their first-choice pace attack.

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Best playing XI of Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Kusal Mendis, KL Rahul (wk), Charith Asalanka, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Dunith Wellalage, Kuldeep Yadav, Shoriful Islam and Matheesha Pathirana.

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Who would you have in your playing XI of Asia Cup 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!

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