In the 2023 Asia Cup, Pakistan is slated to face India on September 2 in Kandy. The tournament is now set to commence on August 30, a day earlier than initially planned by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). As per ESPNcricinfo, the opening match of the tournament will take place in Multan, where hosts Pakistan will play against Nepal. The final match is scheduled to be held in Colombo on September 17.
The latest version of the draft schedule for the 2023 Asia Cup is subject to further changes before the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announces the final version. The original draft schedule, prepared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has undergone several iterations due to the tournament’s unique hybrid model, which involves matches being played in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The Asia Cup 2023 will consist of 13 matches, with Pakistan placed in Group A alongside India and Nepal, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan form Group B. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Four stage, and the top two teams from this phase will compete in the final. This 50-over tournament serves as a preparation run for five of the six participating teams (except Nepal) ahead of the ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on October 5 in India.
Also read: Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh Not Happy With India and Pakistan Cricket Board
Initially, the PCB’s original model had Pakistan hosting four matches in a single city. However, Multan was later added as the second venue after the PCB’s new administration, led by chairman Zaka Ashraf, took over this month. As per the draft schedule, Multan will host only the opening match, while Lahore will stage three matches and one Super Four game.
Bangladesh is set to play against Afghanistan on September 3 in Lahore, followed by Sri Lanka facing Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium on September 5. The draft schedule also clarifies that regardless of their performance in the first round, Pakistan will be labeled as A1 and India as A2, while Sri Lanka will be B1 and Bangladesh B2. If Nepal and Afghanistan qualify for the Super Four stage, they will replace the team eliminated (either Pakistan or India from Group A and Sri Lanka or Bangladesh from Group B).
The draft schedule includes only one Super Fours match to be played in Pakistan on September 6, featuring A1 versus B2. If both Pakistan and India qualify for the Super Four stage, they will face each other again on September 10 in Kandy. The other Sri Lankan venue listed to host three matches during the Super Four stage is Dambulla.