Asia Cup 2023 Schedule Announced, India To Face Pakistan On This Date
The Asia Cup 2023 schedule was finally announced on Wednesday, by Jay Shah, BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head. This time the tournament is being played in a hybrid model, after Shah declared last year that India would not be travelling to Pakistan for the event. The tournament will begin with a match between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan, Pakistan, on August 30. The much-awaited India-Pakistan clash will take place in Kandy, Sri Lanka, on September 2. India will face Nepal in the other group stage match on September 4 at the same venue.
Pakistan will host three group stage matches and one Super Four stage match. The rest of the tournament will be played in Sri Lanka. The final will take place in Colombo on September 17.
ACC president Jay Shah tweeted out the complete schedule on Wednesday along with the message: “I am happy to announce the schedule for the highly anticipated Men’s ODI #AsiaCup2023, a symbol of unity and togetherness binding diverse nations together! Let’s join hands in the celebration of cricketing excellence and cherish the bonds that connect us all”.
The 2023 edition will feature two groups, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. In the Super Four stage, all teams will play each other once. The top two sides from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final.
I am happy to announce the schedule for the highly anticipated Men’s ODI #AsiaCup2023, a symbol of unity and togetherness binding diverse nations together! Let’s join hands in the celebration of cricketing excellence and cherish the bonds that connect us all. @ACCMedia1 pic.twitter.com/9uPgx6intP
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 19, 2023
There is a chance that India will face Pakistan thrice in the Asia Cup, considering results go that way. For that to happen, India and Pakistan will first have to qualify for the Super 4 stage. Then if they finish on top of that stage, they will again face each other in the final.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal will take part in the continental event.
Following the acceptance of the hybrid model by all stakeholders including the PCB and BCCI, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced last month that four matches will be held in Pakistan and nine in Sri Lanka with the event to held from August 31 to September 17.
The hybrid model was proposed as BCCI had clearly conveyed that it won’t send its team to Pakistan due to the tense relations between the two countries.
The hybrid model proposed by Najam Sethi, the chairman of the dissolved cricket management committee of the PCB, and was accepted by the ACC members including India.
