Asia Cup 2023 Teams & Squads

The Asia Cup 2023 squads of each of the six participating teams will allow the pundits and spectators to decide the strongest team on paper ahead of the biennial event’s commencement on August 30.

The national selectors of all teams have pondered over the performance of the players in recent times to pick up the suitable combinations and match-ups pertaining to the favorable conditions in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the joint hosts of the event. Almost every team has picked a 17-member squad for the continental event.

Asia Cup Squads - India

India will be led by Rohit Sharma in the upcoming edition with some of the players grappling with injuries have been included. The likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna mark their return to the ODI team despite being out of action in the last few months.

Ishan Kishan will be considered as the second-choice wicketkeeper in case Rahul isn’t deemed fit to play further. Kuldeep Yadav is the lone specialist spinner in the squad with two left-arm spin-bowling all-rounders to complement the wrist spinner in the middle overs.

Asia Cup Squads - Pakistan

Pakistan has included 30-year-old batter Tayyab Tahir and bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who last played an ODI match in July 2021. Tahir has played three T20Is for Pakistan but is yet to make his ODI debut. Babar Azam will lead the mostly unchanged squad with all-rounder Shadab Khan as his deputy.

Asia Cup Squads - Bangladesh

Bangladesh have a change of guard with veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan reappointed the ODI captain after Tamim Iqbal stepped down from the position earlier this month. However, Tamim won’t be part of the Tigers’ Asia Cup squad with a recurring back injury ruled him out of the tournament.

Fast bowler Ebadot Hossain was initially named in the 17-men squad but a knee injury, sustained in the Afghanistan ODI series in July, forced him out of the competition. 20-year-old uncapped fast bowler Tanzim Hasan was named Ebadot’s replacement.

Asia Cup Squads - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, the defending champions of Asia Cup 2022, suffered a big blow ahead of the continental tournament. Ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga missed from the 15-member squad due to a thigh strain.

Pace troika of Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara and Lahiru Madhushanka are also unavailable because of their respective injuries.

Wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis will be Dasun Shanaka's deputy in the Asia Cup 2023.

Asia Cup Squads - Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s team management made several changes to its combination following their 3-0 defeat to Pakistan in the recently-concluded bilateral series in Sri Lanka. Names like Azmatullah Omarzai, Shahidullah Kamal, and Wafadar Momand missed out on selection. Omarzai was ruled out of the continental tournament due to a side strain injury suffered in the Pakistan series.

25-year-old pace bowler Karim Janat, who has played a lone One-Day International match in 2017, is set to mark his return to the format after six years. Fellow all-rounders Sharafuddin Ashraf and Najibullah Zadran also make a comeback to the ODI fold.

Asia Cup Squads - Nepal

Nepal all-rounder Rohit Paudel will lead the associate member of the Asian Cricket Council in the Asia Cup 2023. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, wicketkeeper-batter Aasif Sheikh, all-rounder Karan KC and fast bowler Ghulshan Jha are the key inclusions for Nepal in their maiden continental tournament.