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Asia Cup, one of the most watched cricket tournaments in the world, comes around every two years, alternating between ODIs and T20Is. The 2023 edition of the tournament will be played as a 50 overs format, with six of the best teams in Asia vying for the coveted trophy in a three week spectacle.
The first match of Asia Cup 2023, scheduled to be played between Pakistan and Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan, is mere weeks away. With that, the selectors of various teams are picking the best possible squads to ensure quality performances right through the tournament.
Also Read: Top five bowling performances in Asia Cup history
While some of the players in each of the squads will be quite new to international cricket, their teammates will be in the later stages of their respective careers. Whether it’s one of the prime batters, bowlers, or the captains, nobody could overstay their welcome, in their respective role, without hampering their team in a negative way.
To drive home the aforementioned point, SportsTiger looks at three captains who might be playing their last Asia Cup, in a few weeks’ time.
1. Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan was given the responsibility of leading Bangladesh cricket team in the Asia Cup 2023, after the former captain Tamim Iqbal resigned from the ODI captaincy. He gave up the role to get himself fit for the 50 overs series against New Zealand next month, with an eye on the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023.
Notably, during his tenure as ODI captain for Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan led the national team in 50 matches, winning 23 and losing 26 of those. He was in the leadership role in the one day cricket last time in 2017 for the Tigers, before Mashrafe Mortaza took them to new heights in the format.
At 36 years of age, Shakib Al Hasan isn’t getting any younger by any stretch of the imagination, plus he must have accepted the leadership role on a short term basis in the upcoming tournament. With that, it’s highly unlikely that he will be playing in the Asia Cup for Bangladesh next time around in 2025, let alone representing them as the captain.
