According to reports, the highly anticipated clashes between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 have been scheduled for September 2nd and 10th. Despite the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) dissatisfaction, the matches will be held in Sri Lanka.
The first encounter between the two cricketing giants is set to take place on September 2nd, followed by a second match in the next round on September 10th. Both matches are likely to be held in either Dambulla or Kandy, Sri Lanka.
If both teams progress, the India vs Pakistan fixture could potentially occur for the third time in the later stages of the tournament and even for the fourth time in the final of the Asia Cup.
Pakistan will kick off their campaign against Nepal on August 30th or 31st in Multan, while the opening ceremony will also take place in Multan on the same day. Lahore will host additional matches of the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
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Assuming the proposed schedule is accepted, the Pakistan squad will travel directly to Sri Lanka after their opening match against Nepal. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will play their group matches in Pakistan before moving to Sri Lanka for the remainder of the tournament.
The official schedule is expected to be announced on Wednesday. Salman Naseer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the PCB, has been appointed as the tournament director for the Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup 2023 will be held from August 31st to September 17th in a hybrid format, as proposed by the previous PCB executive committee. This decision was made after India declined to travel to Pakistan. The tournament will commence with four matches in Pakistan before transitioning to Sri Lanka for nine matches, including the final.