The main part of the Asia Cup begins on Wednesday with the five nations involved all getting good match practice for the upcoming T20 while competing for a pretty big event in its own right in that part of the world.
Usually this tournament is a 50 over competition but with the World T20 just over a couple of weeks away the organisers have changed it to a 20 over event this year which makes perfect sense.
Qualifying for the tournament is still going ahead so we only know four of the five sides who will battle it out for the title in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Either UAE or Oman will join that quartet with UAE big favourites.
Realistically while it is great that either the UAE or Oman are going to be in this tournament getting top quality match practice and more importantly exposure at this level neither are going to be competitive enough to qualify for the final just yet.
Bangladesh are the hosts of this tournament and while they are an improving nation in limited overs cricket and will have the crowd and knowledge of the conditions behind them I just think this company will be a bit hot for them but they might take the odd scalp or two along the way.
You never quite know what you are going to get with Pakistan, as they showed in their recent series in New Zealand where they were convincing winners of the first match and then got rolled over twice. When they are good they are very good but when they’re bad they’re woeful.
Just like Bangladesh they will have their day in this tournament and be dangerous to the other two but I don’t see them having the consistency needed to get into the final or win the final if they do make it there.
India go into the tournament as the favourites and that is probably right given how they have played in this format in recent times but given that they host the upcoming World T20 it might be that they give game time to everyone here and focus on that. Nevertheless they will take all the beating in this tournament.
Even if India make it to the final they will face someone there in a one off game so there is the chance we could find some value in the outright betting market and I think the value lies with the current world champions in this format in Sri Lanka.
We saw the potential Sri Lanka have in this tournament when they dominated India in the first T20 of their recent series despite having largely a second string side out. That lack of depth caught up with them in the end but the likes of Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga are all back for this tournament so suddenly they look much stronger.
The fact the second string were given such a solid outing in India will have done Sri Lanka no harm. One or two players took their chance and with spots in the starting line up for the World T20 up for grabs whoever represents Sri Lanka will be eager to impress.
Sri Lanka begin their tournament against the qualifiers and then Bangladesh so they have an early chance to build up some momentum and form ahead of the big games. Bangladesh holds good memories for Sri Lanka as it was here they won the World T20 and they might give this tournament a stronger go than one or two others.
At 11/2 I think the Sri Lankans are good value given the quality in their ranks in this tournament and the danger they can provide in these conditions.
Back Sri Lanka to win Asia Cup for a 2/10 stake at 6.50 with Betway
