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The top teams of the subcontinent are set to take on each other, with hosts Sri Lanka taking the field against Afghanistan in the curtain raiser for the Asia Cup on Saturday, August 27, with the target of winning the coveted title. The Asia Cup will also act as a preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup, keeping in mind that this tournament will also be played in the shortest international format of the game.
Shift from Sri Lanka to Dubai
Sri Lanka were supposed to be the host of the tournament, but due to the economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka, the tournament had to be organized in the UAE. The conditions in the UAE will be quite different from the 2022 T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November but all teams will be looking to finalise their squads for the ICC competition over the next two weeks.
Afghanistan can beat anyone
Under the captaincy of veteran Mohammad Nabi, the Afghanistan side can beat any higher-ranked team on their day. They gave tough competition to the bigger outfits during the T20 World Cup in 2021 but were unable to progress. As usual, Rashid Khan will be his trump card with the ball and the bat.
Sri Lankan team's improvement
The Sri Lankan team has made great strides under the tutelage of new head coach Chris Silverwood, especially in a team that has no dearth of talent. Players will not have a better chance to become overnight stars for their country, especially with the chance to bring a smile to the faces of the people amidst the turmoil in the country.
Five-time winners of Asia Cup
The Asia Cup was first held in 1984 and this tournament was played in the UAE. So far, it has been organized 14 times, and Sri Lanka has won the trophy five times — 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, and 2014., Meanwhile, the record winners with seven titles under their belt are India. Pakistan are the other winners of the trophy, with two titles to their name.
