Asia Cup 2023 is around the corner and some of most spectacular fast bowlers will be on show during this ODI formatted Asia Cup. Pakistan has incredible fast bowlers who have this extraordinary ability to generate raw pace. On the other side, India will have the service of Jasprit Bumrah, whom India dearly missed in last 18 months.
Fast Bowlers On Show in Asia Cup 2023
Pakistan team: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Waseem Jr., Haris Rauf.
Indian team: Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna.
Nepal team: Pratish GC, Kishore Mahato, Mousom Dhakal.
Afghanistan team: Squad not announced.
Sri Lanka team: Squad not announced.
Bangladesh team: Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed
Fast bowlers of these teams are expected to give tremendous bowling performances and trouble the matters. It will be a 50 over contest will have the opportunity to use reverse swing, steaming bouncers and other skills they have under their sleeves.
Let’s take a look at these fast bowler:
Jasprit Bumrah
The premium Indian fast bowler was out of the team for more than 18 months but he comeback was significant as we witnessed only a better version of him in the series against Ireland. Bumrah has played 72 ODIs and has 121 wickets to his name.
During 2018 Asia Cup which India won, Bumah bowled beautifully, taking 8 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 16 and ecomomy of 3.67. Against Pakistan, Bumrah has played 5 ODI matches and has picked 4 wickets. Definitely, in this tournament, these numbers are expected to change.
Shaheen Shah Afridi
The fast bowling sensation from Pakistan will be in action against Afghanistan in ongoing ODI series. Having played only 36 ODIs, Afridi has already hunted batters 70 times. No wonder why he is nicknamed “the Eagle”.
Shaheen has played on 4 matches this year and took 8 wickets. He bowled beautifully against India in T20Is but having played only 1 match against India in ODIs, there is nothing impressive but everyone knows how destructive he can be with his full to yorker length inswinging deliveries.
Mohmmed Siraj
India’s most successful fast bowler in last 12 months has to be Mohammed Siraj. He is so threatning in the powerplay, he can swing the ball both ways with exceptional control. With 43 wickets in 24 ODIs to his name, definitely, the aggresive right arm pacer will be one of the fast bowlers to watch in Asia Cup 2023.
Siraj’s record in Asia is just phenomenal. He has taken 35 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 16.57. A terrific bowler to open the innings and the most important thing about Siraj is that he is always there with his 100 percent effort.
Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah is the most skillful pace bowler in India at the moment and he is quite young. Having played only 8 matches and scalping 23 wickets against the batting order New Zealand is no easy game. He has this amazing ability to use reverse swing in a lethal way which will make him a deadly weapon in death overs.
However, at times, Naseem Shah can be irregular with his line and lengths but that doesn’t make him less threatening. The ball comes faster than one thinks because of his smooth fluid action. So definitely, he is going to bring a lot of excitement in the Asia Cup 2023.
Lahiru Kumara
34 wickets in 26 matches at an average of 34 might not tell about his ability but Lahiru Kumara has outpaced both Virat Kohli and Babar Azam early in his career. Kumara can touch the pace of 145 to 150 kmph consistentcy and that’s the reason why he is threatning because every bataman is susceptible to pace.
Kumara’s 2023 season has been good with 10 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 17. Some matches will take place at his homeground, so he can definitely use that as an advantage and give match winning performances.
These are the best picked five fast bowlers who can make an impact for their team in the Asia Cup 2023. There are other good fast bowlers like Haris Rauf, Mohammed Shami and Dushmantha Chameera who didn’t make to this list but are no less important assets for their teams.
