Asia Cup 2023: One benched player in Super 4s from each team who deserves regular chances in playing XI

The Asia Cup 2023 tournament ended with a bang with India becoming champions for a record eighth time. The Rohit Sharma-led side decimated Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo. The co-hosts had the worst of starts to their innings as the top order failed to fire in the summit clash. Consequently, Sri Lanka got bundled out for 50 runs, which India chased down with sheer ease in just 6.1 overs to win the game by 10 wickets. The tournament featured six teams, but only four- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka made it into the Super 4s stage. Bangladesh was the first to be eliminated from the race for the final, while Pakistan was the next. The Super 4s stage was full of excitement with close matches coupled with one-sided jobs. Most of the sides played with a fixed playing XI unless there were injuries or when they wanted to rest a few players. These players didn’t get to play the entire tournament, but when given a chance, shined for their teams and should be given more chances in the future, especially in the World Cup 2023. Here is one benched player in Super 4s from each team who deserves regular chances in playing XI: 4. Dushan Hemantha (Sri Lanka) Dushan Hemantha Batting. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) Dushan Hemantha was brought into the Sri Lanka squad in the Super 4s stage after it was revealed that Maheesh Theekshana had suffered a hamstring injury. This meant that he didn’t play in the final of the tournament. Sri Lanka, unfortunately, lost the Asia Cup 2023 final by 10 wickets after being bowled out for 50. Hemantha, 29, has played 3 ODIs so far including the Asia Cup 2023 final, and has picked 2 wickets. He didn’t get to bowl in the final but had scored a valuable 13* to help Sri Lanka go past their lowest score in ODIs-43. He is a talented all-rounder and should get more chances in the Sri Lankan team, especially with Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana carrying niggles into the World Cup 2023. 3. Abdullah Shafique (Pakistan) Abdullah Shafique (Photo Source: Twitter) Abdullah Shafique is a talented opening batter, who has been a Test regular for Pakistan since making his debut in 2021. He has 1220 runs in 14 Tests with 4 centuries with a best of 201. Shafique has been seen as a backup opener and made his ODI debut against the Netherlands. He could only manage 28 runs in three matches. He was taken to the Asia Cup 2023 by Pakistan but warmed the bench with Imam Ul Haq and Fakhar Zaman opening the innings. It was only in the Super 4s stage match against Sri Lanka, which they had to win to qualify for the final that Pakistan opted to drop Fakhar due to form and bring Shafique in. In a twist, Pakistan had to bring back Fakhar, as Imam fell ill and the left-hander opened with a newbie. Pakistan batted first and while Fakhar’s poor form continued, Abdullah Shafique showed why he needs to be a regular in Pakistan's limited overs scheme. He scored 52 runs in 69 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Shafique also added 64 runs for the second wicket with captain Babar Azam to lay a good foundation for a big score. 2. Afif Hossain (Bangladesh) Afif Hossain. (Photo Source: Twitter) Afif Hossain is a talented all-rounder for Bangladesh, who has been a regular for the Tiger in limited-overs cricket. Hossain has featured in 63 T20Is and 30 ODIs matches since his debut in 2018. In the 50-overs format, Hossain has 562 runs with three fifties to his name and has taken 3 wickets with his part-time off-spin. Afif Hossain was part of the Bangladesh squad in Asia Cup 2023 but got to play only two matches. His first match was against Afghanistan in a Group B encounter, where he scored 4*. After being benched for a couple of games, Bangladesh called for his services in a Super 4s match against Pakistan. Batting at no.8, Afif scored 12 runs with a six, helping Bangladesh put on 193 runs in Lahore. 1. Mohammed Shami (India) Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Mohammed Shami, surprisingly played only two games in the entire Asia Cup 2023 tournament for India. With Jasprit Bumrah back after gaining full fitness, India opted to bench Shami and go with Mohammed Siraj as Bumrah’s partner. Mohammad Shami was also making a comeback after being rested for the West Indies tour. Shami’s first match in Asia Cup 2023 was against Nepal in a Group A game when Bumrah flew back home for the birth of his child. Shami did well against the minnows and picked 1/29. He was then benched for the rest of the games. With India qualifying for the final early, Mohammad Shami got another chance as India rested Bumrah against Bangladesh in a Super 4s match. With Bangladesh batting first, Mohammad Shami gave India the perfect start by clean bowling Litton Das for a duck and then accounted for Towhid Hridoy who had scored 54 runs. With India in dire need of some runs in the end, Shami swung his bat hard to score 6 runs but ended up on the losing side. He has been named in the India squad for Australia ODIs and will hope to get more game time with Bumrah being rested for the first two matches.

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Asia Cup 2023: One benched player in Super 4s from each team who deserves regular chances in playing XI

Here are players who were benched for most of Asia Cup 2023 by their teams, but can do with more chances.

2. Afif Hossain (Bangladesh)

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