Sri Lanka surprise, Kohli comeback: 5 Asia Cup talking points

Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 23 runs in Dubai on Sunday to clinch their sixth Asia Cup.

AFP Sport looks at five things we learned from the six-nation tournament, which was a precursor for next month's T20 World Cup in Australia.

Island nation excel

Pundits gave Sri Lanka little chance of making the Super Four after an embarrassingly one-sided opening defeat against Afghanistan, but five successive wins took them to Asia Cup glory.

Sri Lanka beat favourites India in the Super Four and then got past Pakistan twice to give the young team confidence going into the T20 World Cup in Australia, where they will have to progress through a qualifying round.

But Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who hit an unbeaten 71 in the final, said he believed a rejuvenated Sri Lanka could ride the momentum of their Asia Cup triumph and go all the way in the T20 showpiece.

Shah shines

Pakistan's bowling attack was without the injured pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi but another Shah, teenager Naseem, rose to the occasion.

The 19-year-old's express pace saw him take seven wickets in five matches and he was also a match-winner with the bat - his two last-over sixes in the thrilling win over Afghanistan took his team into the final.

Shah signed off the Asia Cup in typical fashion by taking a wicket in the first over in Sunday's final, spectacularly uprooting Kusal Mendis's off stump after Pakistan captain Babar Azam had won the toss and opted to bowl.

King Kohli is back

Virat Kohli was dropped on nought by Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman from the second ball he faced in the Asia Cup and the former India captain took full advantage of the reprieve.

Kohli went on to score 276 tournament runs at an average of 92, with his 122 not out against Afghanistan becoming his