Wisden’s Asia Cup 2023 Team of the Tournament

In an extremely one-sided final, India beat Sri Lanka by ten wickets and registered their biggest victory in terms of balls remaining, chasing down a paltry target of 51 in 6.1 overs to stamp their authority before the World Cup.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had knocked Pakistan out by beating them in a virtual semi-final in the Super Fours. Bangladesh inflicted a defeat on India in a dead rubber just before the final. Afghanistan gave Sri Lanka a run for their money in Group B while Nepal made their first-ever appearance in the Asia Cup.

Here’s Wisden’s Team of 2023 Asia Cup, including players from each of the four teams that featured in the Super Fours.

Wisden’s Asia Cup 2023 Team of the Tournament – the selections

Shubman Gill – India

302 runs @ 75.50, SR: 93.49, 2 fifties, 1 hundred

Gill finished the 2023 Asia Cup as the highest run-getter. After a slow start in the washed-out game against Pakistan in the group stage, he picked up pace, scoring fifties against Nepal and Pakistan before putting on a one-man show with his fifth ODI century in the Super Fours game against Bangladesh.

Rohit Sharma – India

194 runs @ 48.50, SR: 107.77, 3 fifties

Rohit hit three fifties across the tournament – against Nepal in the group stage and against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super Fours. He was at his attacking best, scoring at a strike rate of above 100. In fact, no other batter scored more runs in the Asia Cup at a higher strike rate than Rohit.

Kusal Mendis – Sri Lanka

270 runs @ 45, SR: 85.71, 3 fifties

Mendis was the second-highest scorer of the tournament. His three fifty-plus scores came against Afghanistan – against whom he missed out on a well-deserved hundred after getting run out for 92 – Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Mohammad Rizwan – Pakistan

195 runs @ 97.5, SR: 94.2, 2 fifties

Rizwan had the highest batting average of all batters in the 2023 Asia Cup. From four outings, he remained unbeaten twice, including during his masterful 73-ball 86 in the virtual knockout game against Sri Lanka. Before that, he scored a half-century against Bangladesh as well and a 44 against Nepal.

KL Rahul – India

169 runs @ 84.50, SR: 89.41, 1 hundred

Coming back after six months, Rahul made a memorable return with an unbeaten century against Pakistan in the Super Fours. He played another handy innings against Sri Lanka, making 39 off 44, and has provided the Indian management with a lot of assurance heading into the World Cup.

Shakib Al Hasan – Bangladesh

173 runs @ 43.25, SR: 97.19, 2 fifties
3 wickets @ 63.66, ER: 4.39

Shakib was the glue at No.4 for the Bangladesh batting line-up. His 85-ball 80 against India in their final game of the tournament allowed Bangladesh to recover from 59-4 to post a winning total of 265. With the ball, he didn’t get many wickets but was economical throughout the tournament.

Hardik Pandya – India

92 runs @ 46, SR: 85.18, 1 fifty
6 wickets @ 11.33, ER: 3.34

Hardik had just two outings with the bat. He scored what could have been a pivotal 87 against Pakistan in the group stage after coming in at 66-4. With the ball, he had consistent impact. He took a wicket in every game he bowled, including best figures of 3-3 in the final.

Dunith Wellalage – Sri Lanka

86 runs @ 28.66, SR: 78.2
10 wickets @ 17.9, ER: 4.26

Wellalage had a breakthrough tournament, particularly with the ball. After picking four wickets in his first three outings, Wellalage came into his own and had a dream game against India, picking five wickets and scoring an unbeaten 42. Going into the World Cup, he has given Sri Lanka a happy headache on how to fit him into the XI when Wanindu Hasaranga returns.

Haris Rauf – Pakistan

9 wickets @ 13.33, ER: 4.80

Rauf was not the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in the tournament – that was Shaheen Shah Afridi – but he had the most impact with the ball. His figures progressively got better in the tournament before an injury during the Super Fours game against India ruled him out on the reserve day, hampering Pakistan’s chances significantly.

Kuldeep Yadav – India

9 wickets @ 11.44, ER: 3.61

Among bowlers who picked more than five wickets in the tournament, Kuldeep had the second-best bowling average after Hardik Pandya. After a quiet start against Nepal where he went wicketless, Kuldeep bounced back in the Super Fours with a five-for against Pakistan and a four-for against Sri Lanka.

Mohammed Siraj – India

10 wickets @ 12.20, ER: 4.63

Siraj took the 2023 Asia Cup final by storm, bowling a record spell of 6-21 that included a four-wicket over and the joint-quickest five-for in the history of men’s ODIs. He ended up as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament along with Wellalage and Shaheen Afridi.