Babar Azam, Hardik Pandya and other top players to watch out for in the Asia Cup 2022

The 15th edition of Asia Cup 2022 will kick off in the UAE on August 27th. For the second time, the tournament will be played in the T20 format. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong are the teams participating the event. From the many high-profile players on these sides, we take a look at the best 5 to watch out for:

BABAR AZAM: With his current form, the 27-year-old Pakistan captain Babar Azam is arguably the world's best batsman in all formats of the game. The elegant and stylish batsman of modern cricket is currently leading the ICC T20I batters' ranking chart. He has been among runs consistently in the past few years across formats. His performance will be very crucial to Pakistan's campaign in the tournament.

HARDIK PANDYA: After making a comeback from injury, he has been in top form and has improved his game very well over the past six months. Leading from the front, he was the catalyst behind Gujarat Titans winning their maiden IPL title this year. The all-rounder provides much balance to team India in the middle-order with the bat, besides being the third pace bowler. Pandya now looks more composed in his batting while considered a breakthrough bowler. Being one of the crucial members of the team, he is expected to be at his absolute best in the tournament.

VANINDU HASARANGA: Arguably the best Sri Lankan player in this era due to his exploits on both the international level and in the IPL. An excellent right-arm leg break bowler and a very capable batsman, his T20I stats are simply staggering. He's so far taken 62 wickets in just 38 matches at an economy rate of a mere 6.61. The team's success in the Asia Cup is very much dependent on his performance and they expect him to come up with some game-changing moments.

VIRAT KOHLI: The 33-year-old former India captain has been battling poor form for a while now. He was also rested for the recent West Indies and Zimbabwe tours. The ace batsman will be under the watchful eyes of cricket pundits and the fans alike as he returns to the game after a break. Some critics point out that his place in T20Is is under threat and he must perform in this tournament should he intend to be a part of India's squad for the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia later this year. Understandably, Kohli will be very keen to begin the tournament strongly and make a lasting impression on the team.

SHAKIB AL HASAN: The newly-appointed Bangladesh skipper is the leading wicket-taker (121 wickets) in T20Is and is currently the second-best all-rounder in the world in this format. Being a genuine all-rounder, he is a vital player in Bangladesh's line-up. As a bowler, he is very accurate and consistent while aggression and a wide range of strokes are the highlights of his batting. He has been a consistent performer for his country, over the years, and his ability to deliver on big occasions is very crucial to Bangladesh's campaign in the Asia Cup.