Asia Cup 2018: Group Stage XI

We are just about at the halfway stage in the 2018 edition of the Asia Cup with the Super Four stage of the competition commencing from Friday. The competition has already thrown up some fine individual performances with both bat and ball.

Let us take a look at the best XI from the Group Stage of Asia Cup:

Shikhar Dhawan

In both of India's matches so far, Shikhar Dhawan hasn't looked one bit like the player who had his fair share of troubles against the red-ball just over a week ago in England. The left-hander amassed a hundred in the first game against Hong Kong and backed that with a 46 against Pakistan the following day, helping India chase the mediocre total set by the Pakistanis.

Dhawan will want to keep his form intact heading into the Super 4s if India are to win the competition and defend the title they won in 2016.

Nizakat Khan

Prior to the tournament, few would have thought any player from Hong Kong to feature in this side, but such was the performance of Nizakat Khan in the two matches that he featured in for Hong Kong that it was hard to not pick him.

105 runs in the two matches put him third on the list of highest run-getters behind Mushfiqur Rahim and Dhawan and his performance was one of the big plus points for Hong Kong during the Group Stage.

Rahim played the standout knock of the Group Stages of the Asia Cup

Ambati Rayudu

In the absence of Virat Kohli, India put their faith in Ambati Rayudu to deliver the goods at the Number 3 position and so far, he has done the job asked out of him in that slot.

91 runs in the two matches with a half-century in the first match against Hong Kong means that India have a player to bank on heading into the important stages of the competition, starting from Friday.

Shakib Al-Hasan

One of the better all-rounders in the world, Shakib's contribution to Bangladesh's success so far has been more with the ball than with the bat. The 31-year-old cricketer has taken five wickets in two matches to lag just behind Thisara Perera in the leading wicket-takers of the group stage.

Moving into the Super 4s, the management will hope for him to replicate the same kind of form with the bat in hand, as well.

Mushfiqur Rahim

He might have played just the solitary game in the competition, but what an impact Mushfiqur Rahim had in that game. The wicket-keeper's terrific innings of 144 in the first game against Sri Lanka helped Bangladesh set up a massive win for their side.

Unfortunately, he could not take the field for the second game against Afghanistan owing to a rib injury and the management will hope for him to get fit for the crucial phase of the competition.

Jadhav has been excellent with the ball

Kedar Jadhav

Like it has been the case with Shakib, Kedar Jadhav's primary contribution in the current Asia Cup has been with the ball. His part-time off-spin is proving to be very effective for India, especially in the game against Pakistan when he took three wickets.

His cameo of 28 in the game against Hong Kong also helped India get to 285 and they will want bigger scores from him in the Super 4 stage of the competition.

Thisara Perera

Sri Lanka may have had an absolutely forgettable Asia Cup, but in Thisara Perera they had one bright spot in the two matches that they played.

The all-rounder took six wickets in the two matches, including a five-wicket haul in the match against Afghanistan and even though Sri Lanka lost both matches, his contribution was the one positive that they could take back home.

How much damage will Rashid cause in the Super 4 stage?

Shadab Khan

Pakistan's bowling may possibly be the strongest of the competition so far, but the key contributors to their success so far have been Usman Khan in the fast bowling department and Shadab Khan in the spin bowling department.

The leg-spinner has picked up two wickets in the two matches and went off the field during the second game against India. He will hope to play a bigger role in the upcoming matches.

Rashid Khan

Think about what you are or were doing at the age of 20 and compare it with what Rashid Khan is doing for Afghanistan. The leg-spinner has once been one of the star performers for his side in this competition, having taken four wickets so far in two matches and will have a bigger role to play in the Super 4 stage of the competition.

With the bat, he even scored his third ODI fifty, in the final group game against Bangladesh.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvi was very good in the second game against Pakistan

After showing signs of rust in the opening game against Hong Kong, it seemed like Bhuvneshwar Kumar was back to his best in the game against Pakistan where he put in a man-of-the-match performance, claiming figures of 3 for 15 to put the Men In Green in trouble.

The Men In Blue will need similar showings from the bowler in the upcoming matches as well.

Usman Khan

Generating good speeds with the ball, Usman Khan has been Pakistan's star fast bowler in the competition so far and his role heading into the rest of the competition will be vital if the Men In Green are to lift the title.