After nearly a year of dramatic negotiations, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reached an agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding the Asia Cup 2023. Originally scheduled to start on August 30 in Pakistan, the tournament’s location became a point of contention. India insisted on a neutral host, and Pakistan responded by threatening to boycott the ODI World Cup 2023 in India if the stance wasn’t changed.
After numerous high-level meetings, a resolution was achieved for the Asia Cup. The first half of the tournament will be hosted in Pakistan, and the second half in Sri Lanka. This compromise paved the way for Pakistan’s participation in the ODI World Cup. Interestingly, the backstage drama adds an extra layer of intrigue as the two teams face off on September 2.
Defending champions Sri Lanka aim to retain their title, while newcomer Nepal seeks to surprise the established teams. Afghanistan, despite a recent 3-0 loss to Pakistan, displays potential as a formidable squad with a strong spin attack and promising batsmen like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran.
Bangladesh, led by Shakib Al Hasan, faces the absence of Tamim Iqbal. The young talents within the squad could contribute significantly, potentially leading Bangladesh to their first Asia Cup victory.
For India, led by Rohit Sharma, the tournament holds immense importance. Players like Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul will make their return to competitive cricket after a lengthy break. Ahead of the World Cup, the Indian team aims to address various concerns and define each player’s role in the ODI format, providing clarity and direction.
Asia Cup 2023 Groups:
| Group A | Group B |
| India | Sri Lanka |
| Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| Nepal | Afghanistan |
Asia Cup 2023 Schedule:
| Date | Day | Fixture | Time | Venue |
| 30-08-2023 | Wednesday | Pakistan vs Nepal | 1:30 PM IST | Multan, Pakistan |
| 31-08-2023 | Thursday | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka | 1:30 PM IST | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 02-09-2023 | Saturday | Pakistan vs India | 1:30 PM IST | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 03-09-2023 | Sunday | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | 1:30 PM IST | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 04-09-2023 | Monday | India vs Nepal | 1:30 PM IST | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 05-09-2023 | Tuesday | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | 1:30 PM IST | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 06-09-2023 | Wednesday | A1 vs B2 | 1:30 PM IST | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 09-09-2023 | Saturday | B1 vs B2 | 1:30 PM IST | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 10-09-2023 | Sunday | A1 vs A2 | 1:30 PM IST | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 12-09-2023 | Tuesday | A2 vs B1 | 1:30 PM IST | Dambulla, Sri Lanka |
| 14-09-2023 | Thursday | A1 vs B1 | 1:30 PM IST | Dambulla, Sri Lanka |
| 15-09-2023 | Friday | A2 vs B2 | 1:30 PM IST | Dambulla, Sri Lanka |
| 17-09-2023 | Sunday | Final |
Asia Cup 2023 full squad:
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).
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)
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 – Squad yet to be announced
Sri Lanka – Squad yet to be announced
Asia Cup 2023 Broadcast and Live Stream details:
All the matches of the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 will be telecasted live on Star Sports Network Channels. The online live stream will be available on Disney+ Hotstar.
