Veteran batter AB de Villiers has named Virat Kohli and Babar Azam as likely top run-scorers in the 2023 Asia Cup, emphasizing that their consistency surpasses that of other batsmen from Sri Lanka and the participating nations.
The modern-era cricket superstars, Kohli and Babar, are set to clash when India faces Pakistan in the Asia Cup on Saturday, September 2nd in Pallekele. During a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, De Villiers was prompted to make predictions about the top run-scorer in both the Asia Cup and the World Cup.
“My favorites for Asia Cup definitely Virat and Babar. I haven’t seen a lot of the Sri Lankans or other players in incredible form. That’s where Virat and Babar are different. When they score runs, they score 130s-150s. They really knuckle down. I think we would see their names up there and I would be pleasantly surprised to see someone else up there,” he said.
Regarding the ODI World Cup scheduled for October-November in India, De Villiers expressed his belief that the leading run-scorer would be decided by the players’ current form as they approach the tournament.
“It’s a tough one. I am not really sure. There are a lot of guys that can do it. We look at guys who are in form – Babar, Kane Williamson. Obviously, Virat will be up there somewhere along the line. Virat absolutely loves 50-over cricket. His name will be up there for sure,” the South African added.
Rohit Sharma emerged as the top run-scorer in the 2019 World Cup, accumulating 648 runs across nine matches at an impressive average of 81, including five centuries.
“He’s a huge player for Pakistan” – AB de Villiers on Shaheen Shah Afridi
During his discussion, De Villiers also highlighted the importance of left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi to the Pakistan team. Although Afridi managed to take a couple of wickets in the Asia Cup 2023 opener against Nepal, his performance didn’t seem to be at its peak.
Evaluating Afridi’s display, the former South African captain remarked: “Not quite the same rhythm we have seen from Shaheen Afridi in the past. I don’t know if he’s a little bit undercooked or if there’s a tiny little injury. May be he is just saving his energy for when it matters most. He may be trying to find a little bit of rhythm knowing there are much bigger games coming up. He’s a huge player for Pakistan.”
Shaheen Afridi secured stats of 2 wickets for 27 runs from five overs in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal as Pakistan cruised to a 238-run victory.
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