3 reasons why Pakistan are likely to win Asia Cup 2018

It is time for white-ball action in cricket with some of the best advertisers of the game ready to take the center stage through a multi-nation tournament in Asia Cup. The tournament will see the top five Asian giants along with Hong-Kong, squaring up against each other for the coveted trophy.

As many reckon, this can be one of the most closely fought Asia Cup in the history of 34 years, with nothing to chose between the top five teams. Though it does seem that the Men in Green Pakistan have the most balanced side.

Under the leadership of Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan has done exceedingly well with a Champions Trophy 2017 win against India in the Final being the highlight of their efforts in past one year.

Here's a look at 3 reasons why Pakistan can win the Asia Cup 2018.

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#3 An attacking and an in-form top order

Pakistan's recent limited-overs performances are buoyed by their top order exploits with the likes of Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul-Haq and Babar Azam contributing a majority of the team's runs. In their last overseas assignment to Zimbabwe, Pakistan crushed the hosts 5-0 to account for their successive series win after beating Australia in the Tri-series Final.

With Zaman leading the way, Pakistan has looked a formidable side as they look to resolve their batting issues from the past. The likes of Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik in the middle-order provide the much-needed solidity to them. In the lower-order, Pakistan boasts of a number of all-rounders, who are equally capable of tonking the ball hard and providing the much-needed impetus at the end. It could well turn out to be the perfect outing for the Sarfraz-led team as they might ride to the glory riding on the back of an inspiring run by their batters.

#2 A probable home advantage in UAE

After the Indian government didn't allow BCCI to host Pakistan for the Asia Cup in India, as a result, the tournament was shifted to UAE at a neutral venue. However, this could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Men in gGreen as they would fancy playing in the familiar territory.

Pakistan usually plays all its home matches, especially Test matches, in UAE as the host nation. With the Asia Cup now being hosted in UAE, it may give them a slight edge over other nations to exploit the home advantage to the best of their ability. However, it is imperative to know that this factor won't solely guide them to the glory but would definitely play to their advantage.

#1 Potent bowling attack

There's no denying the fact that Pakistan has the most settled bowling line-up among all the teams in the Asia Cup. They have a variety of bowlers who know how to bowl on relatively flat decks in UAE. The team possesses a rich blend of youth and experience

With the likes of Mohammed Amir and Hassan Ali being the backbone of the attack, all-rounders in Shadab Khan and Faheem Ahsraf would be eager to perform at the big stage. If batters can lead the way, the team would have their hopes high on the reliable bowling attack to deliver the goods in crucial stages of the tournament.