The Dubai-born golfer fires a 66 to tie for 22nd with one round remaining at Final Stage Qualifying School in Spain
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Asia's cricket giants India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will get a final chance to size each other up before October's 50-over World Cup when the Asia Cup begins on Wednesday.
Fiery rivals India and Pakistan could clash as many as three times if they go all the way in the six-nation continental championship.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosts, a hybrid model agreed after World Cup hosts India refused to tour Pakistan, with the final on September 17 in Colombo.
Babar Azam's Pakistan, who became the world's top-ranked ODI team after last week's 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan, open their campaign at home on Wednesday against Asia Cup debutants Nepal in Multan.
Azam, who scored 113 runs in the Afghanistan series, leads a side containing a triple-pronged fast bowling attack in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
World Cup hosts India, led by Rohit Sharma, will open their campaign against Pakistan in a hotly anticipated clash on Saturday in Pallekele.
India and Pakistan, who only play against each other in international tournaments due to the countries' long-standing political tensions, are expected to meet again in the Super Four stage and could face off for a third time in the final.
"It's not just Pakistan, there are other teams," Rohit said of the hype surrounding the Pakistan clashes, with the rivals also scheduled to meet in the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 14.
"Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last year. So there are other teams who are playing good cricket and will challenge us."
But Pakistan captain Babar is excited about facing India in the 50 overs format after a long time.
"The India-Pakistan match has always been a rivalry. The entire world experiences the match and enjoys it. Even we enjoy it a lot," he said.
"I feel that the level of cricket is very good and competitive. Fans miss the India-Pakistan match and both teams always give their 100 per cent."
Rohit said the Asia Cup was the perfect place to "test ourselves, try and put ourselves under pressure and respond to that pressure."
India's batting has been boosted by the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer alongside Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Rohit.
The 50-over World Cup begins on October 5 in India.
Sri Lanka, who won the Asia Cup last year in Dubai when it was played as a Twenty20 tournament, have been hit by injuries ahead of their opener against Bangladesh in Kandy on Thursday .
Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera is all but out of the tournament with a shoulder injury and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is doubtful for at least the group matches having missed the Lanka Premier League final eight days ago with a thigh strain.
Bangladesh have had a difficult build-up with Tamim Iqbal stepping down as captain and missing the tournament with a back injury as he tries to get fit for the World Cup.
Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been reappointed captain through to the end of the World Cup. He previously led Bangladesh for 50 one-day internationals between 2009 and 2017.
Afghanistan, despite their recent loss to Pakistan, can pose problems with their potent spin attack of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.
They also have in-form batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz who smashed 151 in a losing cause in the second game against Pakistan.
Minnows Nepal could be in for a baptism of fire having been clubbed with India and Pakistan in Group A. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan make up Group B.
The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four with the leading two in the standings contesting the final.
What?
Asia Cup
When?
August 30-September 17
Where?
Pakistan and Sri Lanka
Teams
Pakistan
India
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
Nepal
Group A
Pakistan, India, Nepal
Group B
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan
Format
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four. Then the top two teams from the Super Four will qualify for the final.
Schedule
Group stage
August 30: Pakistan v Nepal in Multan (Pakistan)
August 31: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka in Kandy (Sri Lanka)
September 2: Pakistan v India in Kandy (Sri Lanka)
September 3: Bangladesh v Afghanistan in Lahore (Pakistan)
September 4: India v Nepal in Kandy (Sri Lanka)
September 5: Afghanistan v Sri Lanka in Lahore (Pakistan)
SUPER FOUR
September 6: A1 v B2in Lahore (Pakistan)
September 9: B1 v B2in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
September 10: A1 v A2 in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
September 12: A2 v B1 in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
September 14: A1 v B1 in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
September 15: A2 v B2 in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
September 17: Final in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve).
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve).
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana
Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Mousom Dhakal, Sundeep Jora, Kishore Mahato, Arjun Saud.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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