One of India's key players in white-ball cricket in the last few years, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is poised for two big milestones in the upcoming Asia Cup.
Pandya, who was part of India's T20 World Cup triumph last year and the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year, is targetting the double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets in T20 Internationals.
In 114 T20 Internationals, Pandya has amassed 1812 runs at an explosive strike rate of 141.67, including five half-centuries. With 188 more runs needed for the landmark, the Asia Cup could be a perfect platform to get to the 2000-run mark.
With the ball, Pandya has picked up 94 wickets, including a career-best 4/16, needing another six wickets to complete a century of T20I wickets -- a rare double for an all-rounder.
He will become the first Indian and overall the third player in the history of T20 Internationals to achieve the double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets after Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi.
His best bowling figures in T20Is is 4/16 -- against New Zealand in Ahmedabad in February 2023.
Team India's quest for Asian supremacy will start from September 10 against the UAE, with the hotly anticipated India-Pakistan clash taking place on September 14. India will play their last league match against the UAE on September 19. The Super Four stage will start on September 20.
After the group stage, the tournament will proceed to the Super 4, where the top two teams from each group will qualify. If India finishes at the top of Group A, then all of their Super 4 matches will be held in Dubai. If India finishes second, then one of their Super 4 clashes will be held in Abu Dhabi and the remaining two in Dubai. The Super 4 stage will run from September 20 to 26. Dubai will host the final, which is scheduled for September 28.
Team India squad for Asia Cup: Surya Kumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
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