Asia Cup 2018: Players who cemented their spot in the team for World Cup 2019

The 2018 edition of the Asia Cup will certainly go down as the most entertaining in the tournament’s history. Although Bangladesh didn’t really fall under the underdogs’ category, not many expected them to pip Pakistan or India to reach the finals. As it turned out, they did reach the final by defeating Pakistan in a comprehensive way in Abu Dhabi. They managed to assert a lot of pressure on hot favorites India and it took the Men in Blue all of the 50 overs to chase a meager total of 223. The Tigers rose to the occasion and they certainly seem ready for the World Cup. Talking of the coveted trophy for which all the big teams will be traveling to England, this is the high time for a lot of players who are on the peripheral edge of their respective squads. With some outstanding performances in the Asia Cup, few such players might’ve just confirmed their spot. Here are six such players who most certainly will be in England with their squads. 1. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) Lasith Malinga. (Photo Source: Twitter) One of the greatest limited overs bowlers of all time, Lasith Malinga was out of the picture before this Asia Cup. Not many expected him to roar back into the nucleus of the side, but he did so in spectacular fashion. He registered a timely 5-fer against Bangladesh, which was reminiscent of the old Malinga who would threaten everyone with his unique ability. The 35-year-old seemed perfectly fit and as it stands, he certainly has another year of international cricket left in him. If that is the case, the wounded Lankan lions will have something to cheer about. He is one of those players who add a different flavour to the tournament with his presence and a lot of fans would love to see him in England. 2. Mohammad Mithun (Bangladesh) Mohammad Mithun. (Photo credit should read ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Although he made his debut back in 2014, it took Mohammad Mithun a lot of time and effort to get back into the limelight. The 27-year-old seems a perfect fit in the middle order for the Tigers and is one of those batsmen who can approach a situation with a calm and composed head. Although it’s difficult to say to say that he has “cemented” his spot with just two fifties, Bangladesh certainly needs a batsman like him in the middle order. Given he continues his good form for another couple of months, it’d be very difficult for the selectors to not give him a place in the World Cup squad. 3. Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan) Shaheen Shah Afridi. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Shaheen Afridi is being touted as the next big thing in Pakistani cricket and the youngster has shown enough promise in the PSL and Asia Cup to be called so. In the few games he played thus far, he picked up wickets at important points and is looking very much towards a bright future. He returned home with 4 wickets in three games from the tournament and one of his incredible moments was getting Mushfiqur Rahim out for 99 in Abu Dhabi. The 18-year-old will only improve in time to come and given their management trusts him with a few chances, he might be one of their main men in the World Cup. 4. Asif Ali (Pakistan) Asif Ali. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Asif Ali hogged a lot of limelight during the Pakistan Super League, eventually winning a place in the national side. He has not played a lot of games to judge if he can feature in the World Cup squad, but surely, this lad promises something big for his country. Digging a little deeper into his abilities, he is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball one can come across. He also a packs a punch with a great amount of consistency and hence he might be a great fit for the finisher’s role in the side. 5. Ambati Rayudu (India) Ambati Rayudu. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) It’s difficult to say if Ambati Rayudu has done enough in the Asia Cup to seal his place in the playing XI, but the selectors currently don’t have many better options than him as a backup batsman. He can bat at a lot of positions as well, which should give him a ticket to England. The 33-year-old registered a couple of important half-centuries and after all the mishap that occurred due to the yo-yo test, his pathway forward seems pretty clear now. He has the experience and ability to shine at the biggest of stages and maybe this is his chance to prove that he can be a big player for the country. 6. Ravindra Jadeja (India) Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Ravindra Jadeja made a comeback into the Indian limited overs setup after more than 12 months. It was not his form which helped him regain a position, but the injury of a couple of major players, which indicates that the selectors were not keeping him in the radar for the World Cup. But the star all-rounder came back with a roaring performance with the ball and on a couple of occasions, he chipped in with composed knocks in the death overs. He certainly is a player who can hold his nerves when the chips are down and the Australian tour will decide if he will travel to England in June 2019.

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Asia Cup 2018: Players who cemented their spot in the team for World Cup 2019

This is the high time for a lot of players who are on the peripheral edge to try and seal a berth in the World Cup squad.

3. Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

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