Best Asia XI ahead of T20 World Cup 2021

The Indian Premier League is in the final stage. With multiple teams competing for the final playoff spot (where KKR has the upper hand in all likelihood) left, the level of excitement is rising exponentially. Now, there is more than just a win for the aspiring teams. It is also about few players showcasing their worth to open a window into the national side. This is mainly because there are replacement options open for teams. With few players looking off-color, there is a small window for those who could not make it to the squad. This is the same case for most other teams. Few of their players are unable to find their mojo. Most of the teams participating in the upcoming T20 World Cup are from Asian countries. Therefore, there is no doubt that there is a higher probability that fans might find an Asian team to lift the trophy within two months. So, why not explore the best possible Asia XI? Here is the Best possible playing XI from Asia ahead of T20 World Cup 1. Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) Rohit Sharma is arguably the most improved batsman in the longest format. He has this natural ability to have that “extra second” to chose his shot. Sharma is also a versatile player who can score as per the situation. In 111 T20Is, he has scored 2864 runs with an average of 32.18. Adding on, he has a strike rate of 138.96 in T20Is. With four centuries to his name, he is one of the most prolific batsmen in the shortest format of the game. Adding on, he might be the next possible captain after Virat Kohli. Under his leadership, Mumbai has won five IPL titles. As his presence brings experience and calmness in a format like T20, he is the opener on this list. 2. KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar VIP) Along with Rohit Sharma, we have another Indian to open the innings. KL Rahul’s calmness brings a lot of stability to the table. He has played 48 T20I games so far. In those games, he has been striking the ball with a strike rate of 142.19. With two centuries to his name, Rahul can tear apart any bowling attack on his day. Adding on, his experience with PBKS has made him a responsible batsman. In IPL, he has been a consistent scorer for the Punjab-based franchise. Apart from that, he is the backup wicketkeeping option. He can assist the senior members while setting up the field. Adding on, the close encounters Rahul has faced during his IPL tenure with Punjab must have made him accustomed to tense situations. 3. Virat Kohli (captain) Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: BCCI) This lineup would have been incomplete without the inclusion of Kohli. Adding on, he is one of the most successful captains in the circuit and that makes him a big figure in the captaincy arena. Yes, there is no doubt about his abilities as a batsman. Given the fact that he has not scored a century in the last couple of years has not affected his approach towards the game. He still plays as per the situation and scores vital runs for the team. Kohli has played 89 T20Is so far and has scored 3159 runs. Talking about his IPL stats, he is the highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament. With 6235 runs, he has dominated the tournament. Adding on, he has scored five IPL centuries so far. Along with this, he brings aggressive captaincy to the table. This is rare in T20 games, hence he is the captain of the squad. 4. Shakib Al Hasan Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan. (Photo credit- PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) Arguably the finest cricketer from the streets of Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan has found himself regularly on the ICC Rankings. The fine all-rounder has made an impact on every format he plays. Still, whenever his team is in trouble, he manages to drag his team out of trouble. Shakib has played 88 T20Is so far. With a tally of 1763 runs, Shakib has been a decent performer with a strike rate of 121.5. The strike rate might seem a bit on the lower side, but he holds on to one end when wickets are falling from the other one. Talking about his bowling, Shakib has an economy rate of 6.73. With the best bowling figure of 5/20, he can be lethal on spin-friendly conditions. Adding on, the pitches of Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai will surely assist him. 5. Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper) Rishabh Pant vs England. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar VIP) Funny stump mic recordings, madness with the bat, and decent captaincy, Rishabh Pant has it all. The swashbuckling batsman has been in terrific form since his redemption during the Test series against Australia. Pant is now the next big thing in Indian cricket. Pant has played 32 T20Is so far. With 512 runs to his name, Pant has been a decent contributor to the national side. Well, in the international arena, he has played under the shadows of Dhoni, that is one of the major reasons of his low run tally with the bat. In IPL, he has a healthy stirke rate of 147.78. With a century to his name, he can turn the game within a few overs. His improved skills with the gloves have also impressed everyone. 6. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo by DAVID ROWLAND/AFP via Getty Images) Ravi Jadeja is arguably the most improved cricketer within the last decade. From being a liability to becoming the greatest asset, the story of the rise of Jadeja has been inspirational. Adding on, his image as the best fielder makes this team much stronger. Jadeja has played 50 T20Is so far and has picked 39 wickets with an economy rate of 7.1. With shorter boundaries, this economy rate is even more impressive. In the IPL, he has picked 124 wickets with the best bowling figure of 5/16. Talking about his batting, Jadeja has scored 2371 runs with a strike rate of 128.51. He can score priceless runs at the backend of the innings. This implies that even if the top order fails, Jadeja is there to handle the crisis. 7. Wanindu Hasaranga Wanindu Hasaranga bowling. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Hasaranga is the first Sri Lankan on the list. This shows the current state of the Sri Lankan cricket circuit. They are failing to produce world-class cricketers. Hopefully, the rise of Hasaranga will ignite a spark in the circuit. Talking about this talented spinner, he is currently ranked 2 in the T20I rankings. He has an economy rate of 6.58 in T20Is. With the best bowling figure of 4/9, he has been destructive with the ball. He is a handy player with the bat as well. Just like Shakib, he can hold onto one end and play with more cautiousness. His performance caught the eye of RCB as he was recruited to the squad during the second leg of the tournament. Hasaranga’s form will be vital for Sri Lanka during the upcoming World T20. 8. Rashid Khan Rashid Khan. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images) With Afghanistan being in turmoil, Rashid Khan has still managed to bring smiles all over the world. Maybe, that is the reason he is the greatest Afghan cricketer and the best T20 spinner. Having said that, he has an economy rate of 6.23 in the toughest T20 league. Khan’s success has been because of his unpredictability. He relies on accuracy and variations. This makes him a bowler that the opposition looks to play out. Even after that, he manages to pick up wickets with ease. He is a decent batsman as well. With a strike rate of 139.19 in IPL and 128.78 in T20Is, Khan has smashed bowlers all over the park. Apart from that, he is a safe fielder and a former captain, which means he is a complete package. Hence, Rashid Khan is a great asset to this team. 9. Shaheen Afridi Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images) Tall, raw, and lethal. These three words best describe Shaheen Afridi. Sporting the Pakistan jersey with the legendary number 10 on his back, this quick bowler has already made an impact with the ball. Afridi has been Pakistan’s premier bowler for some time now. With 30 T20Is to his name, he has picked 32 wickets in his career. The upcoming World Cup will be his first T20I World Cup, and he will be looking to make a mark in the tournament. This makes him a dangerous bowler. Adding on, he is a decent fielder who is not afraid to put in those risky dives. Afridi’s ability to bowl those Yorkers will also be handy on any ground. He can also bring those cutters which make life more difficult for the batsmen. 10. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images) The “Fizz” had a spectacular debut against India during the home series 2015. He could fox the Indians with his cutters and picked a five-wicket haul on his debut. But since then, injuries have hampered his growth as a bowler. After a lot of effort, he has managed to make a comeback into the T20 arena. He has picked 76 wickets with an economy rate of 7.48. Adding on, a five-wicket haul showcases his matchwinning ability with the ball. In the IPL, he has been bowling with an economy rate of 7.84. He can bowl during any stage of the inning and is an economical bowler. Although he is not a valuable contributor with the bat, he is a decent fielder. 11. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Action Plus via Getty Images) Without any doubt, Jasprit Bumrah is the finest bowler in the game. He has excelled in every format of the game. With so many wickets across formats, he will go down as one of the greatest bowlers during the later stages of his career. Bumrah has picked 128 IPL wickets in 105 games. An economy rate of 7.4 makes him a special bowler. Adding on, he bowls at the death, a time in which the batsman looks to slog every ball. Hence, he is an effective bowler. Apart from that, in T20Is, Bumrah has an economy rate of 6.27. This means he has been more effective in the international arena. Adding on, he can swing the bat when needed. Hence, he is in the squad as the premier bowler.

Best Asia XI ahead of T20 World Cup 2021

The T20 World Cup is all set to begin on October 17.

9. Shaheen Afridi