The biggest sub-continent clash, well known as the Asia Cup, will be kick-started at the end of this month. With only less than two months left for ODI World Cup, Asia Cup 2023 will work as a dress rehearsal or, even better, a form filter for the Asian cricket teams.
Out of the total 15 editions, India has reigned to be the most successful team in Asia Cup’s history with seven titles to its name, followed closely by Sri Lanka with six titles. Pakistan has won Asia Cup twice in its history.
Heralded as a significant event in international cricket, the origins of the Asia Cup can be traced back to 1984 when India, led by captain Sunil Gavaskar, emerged victorious in the first-ever edition hosted in the United Arab Emirates.
The Indian cricket team enters the tournament as the third-ranked side in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, while the team led by Babar Azam holds the highest rank in the tournament, standing second in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings.
Asia Cup 2023 will be interesting as ever because of the form of the relative underdogs. Sri Lanka secured victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier event in Zimbabwe, where it achieved a perfect record by winning all eight matches, although these were against lower-ranked opponents.
The Bangladesh cricket team has demonstrated its strength in the 50-over format recently, especially when playing on home turf. Afghanistan, often seen as a perennial dark horse before every tournament, aims to achieve more than just occasional upsets. Under the leadership of 20-year-old Rohit Paudel, Nepal has enjoyed a successful year in ODIs, securing victory in 15 out of 20 matches.
It is yet to be seen who will de-throne Sri Lanka or will Sri Lanka equal India’s record of being the most successful team in the Asia Cup.
Dates
The mega-event will be a spectacle for cricket fans
Asia Cup 2023 will be raising its curtains on the 30th of August, with Pakistan taking on Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The group stage will end on 5th September with a match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
The ‘Super Four stage’ will start the next day, where the topper of Group A will clash with the second runner of Group B. The final will be played on 17th September in R.Premadas Stadium on Sri Lankan soil. This mega-subcontinent event is returning this year to mark its shift to the one-day international format
Venues
Although Pakistan will retain its status as the official host of the tournament, the Asia Cup will mark a historic move by taking place in two separate nations. The competition will adopt a hybrid model, with Pakistan hosting four matches and Sri Lanka hosting nine. This decision has been prompted by the BCCI’s reluctance to participate in matches held in Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
The final match is slated to be held at R.Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka While, one of the Super Fpur stage matches will be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. Multan Stadium in Pakistan will also host a match, while maximum matches will be played at Pallekele Stadium in Sri Lanka.
Format Explainer
The 2023 Asia Cup will feature six participating teams: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. In the initial phase of the competition, these six teams will be split into two groups, each containing three teams. Within each group, the teams will compete against each other in a round-robin format.
Group Distribution:
| GROUP A | GROUP B |
| India | Afghanistan |
| Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| Nepal | Sri Lanka |
Following this, the two leading teams from each group will progress to the Super Fours stage. In the Super Fours, these four teams will face off against each other in a round-robin format as well. Ultimately, the top two teams from the Super Four stage will earn a spot in the tournament’s final match.
The 2023 Asia Cup will adhere to the 50-over ODI format. The most recent instance of this format being used in the tournament occurred in 2018 when India won against Bangladesh in Dubai. The previous edition of the Asia Cup was a T20 format that took place in 2022 in Dubai.
Star Attractions
Virat Kohli will once again be one of the biggest names in the tournament
The unassailable rivalry between neighbors India and Pakistan is the most sought cricket match for not just the nationals but all the cricket fans around the globe. Whether it is a T20I or an ODI, an India-Pakistan cricket match is the main attraction in any global tournament. This time, the rivalry is set to take place on 2nd September on the neutral ground of Pallekele Stadium in Sri Lanka.
Other teams like Nepal have also considerably improved in ODIs and continue to make their name heard in the international arena. While Group A will face the ironclad of generational rivalry, Group B will have exciting matches between the young blood of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam ©, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi.
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Nepal: Rohit Paudel ©, Mahamad Asif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, Lalit Rajbanshi, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC, Gulshan Kumar Jha, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Pratish GC, Kishor Mahato, Sundeep Jora, Arjun Saud, Shyam Dhakal.
Sri Lanka: Squad yet to be announced
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan ©, Litton Das, Tanzid Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Sheikh Mahedi, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Naim Sheikh.
Afghanistan: Squad yet to be announced