The Asia Cup is one of the most prestigious cricket tournaments in the world, featuring the best teams from the Asian continent. The 16th edition of the Asia Cup will be held in 2023, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka as the co-hosts. The tournament will be played in the 50-over format, with six teams competing for the trophy. Here is everything you need to know about the Asia Cup 2023.
Schedule and Format
The Asia Cup 2023 will start on August 30 and end on September 17, with a total of 13 matches. The six teams are divided into two groups of three each, with Pakistan, India and Nepal in Group A and Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 4s stage, where they will play each other once. The top two teams from the Super 4s will advance to the final.
The tournament will follow a hybrid model, with Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues (Multan and Lahore) and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining nine matches across two venues (Kandy and Colombo). The iconic clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for September 2 in Kandy. The final will be played on September 17 in Colombo.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Aug | Pakistan vs Nepal | Multan, Pakistan |
| 31-Aug | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 2-Sep | Pakistan vs India | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 3-Sep | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 4-Sep | India vs Nepal | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| 5-Sep | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 6-Sep | A1 vs B2 (Super 4) | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 9-Sep | B1 vs B2 (Super 4) | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 10-Sep | A1 vs A2 (Super 4) | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 12-Sep | A2 vs B1 (Super 4) | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 14-Sep | A1 vs B1 (Super 4) | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 15-Sep | A2 vs B2 (Super 4) | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| 17-Sep | Final | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
Teams and Squads
The five full members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – will take part in the tournament. They will be joined by Nepal, who qualified by winning the 2023 ACC Men’s Premier Cup. Nepal will be making their debut in the Asia Cup, having qualified for the first time.
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The squads for each team have not been announced yet, but we can expect some of the star players from each country to feature in the tournament. Some of the players to watch out for are:
- Virat Kohli (India): The Indian captain is one of the best batsmen in the world, with over 12,000 runs and 43 centuries in ODIs. He has also led India to several victories in ICC tournaments, including the 2013 Champions Trophy and the 2021 World Test Championship.
- Babar Azam (Pakistan): The Pakistani skipper is another prolific run-scorer, with over 4,000 runs and 14 centuries in ODIs. He is also ranked as the number one batsman in T20Is, with an average of over 47. He has been instrumental in Pakistan’s recent successes in white-ball cricket, including winning the 2017 Champions Trophy and reaching the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): The Afghan leg-spinner is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in limited-overs cricket, with over 300 wickets across formats. He is also a handy lower-order batsman, with a strike rate of over 100 in ODIs. He has been a key player for Afghanistan in their rise as a cricketing nation, helping them qualify for their first World Cup in 2015 and their first Test match in 2018.
- Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh): The Bangladeshi all-rounder is one of the most experienced and versatile players in world cricket, with over 6,000 runs and over 250 wickets in ODIs. He is also ranked as the number one all-rounder in both ODIs and T20Is by ICC. He has been a vital part of Bangladesh’s improvement as a cricketing force, leading them to their first-ever semi-final appearance in an ICC event at the 2017 Champions Trophy.
- Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka): The Sri Lankan legend is one of the greatest batsmen of all time, with over 14,000 runs and 25 centuries in ODIs. He is also a brilliant wicketkeeper, with over 400 dismissals across formats. He has been a part of Sri Lanka’s golden generation that won the 1996 World Cup and reached two more finals in 2007 and 2011. He retired from international cricket in 2015, but he has been appointed as a mentor for Sri Lanka’s young team for the Asia Cup 2023.
- Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal): The Nepalese spinner is one of the most exciting talents in world cricket, with over 100 wickets across formats at an average of under 20. He is also a pioneer for his country, becoming the first Nepalese player to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He has been a key factor in Nepal’s qualification for the Asia Cup 2023, taking 12 wickets in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup.
Venues and Conditions
The Asia Cup 2023 will be played across four venues in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with each venue having its own characteristics and challenges. Here is a brief overview of each venue:
- Multan Cricket Stadium (Multan, Pakistan): The Multan Cricket Stadium is one of the oldest and largest cricket stadiums in Pakistan, with a capacity of over 35,000. It has hosted 10 ODIs, with the last one being in 2008. The pitch at Multan is usually flat and good for batting, with an average first innings score of over 270. The weather in Multan is expected to be hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.
- Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore, Pakistan): The Gaddafi Stadium is one of the most iconic and historic cricket stadiums in the world, with a capacity of over 27,000. It has hosted 62 ODIs, with the last one being in 2019. The pitch at Lahore is also favourable for batting, with an average first innings score of over 250. The weather in Lahore is expected to be similar to Multan, with hot and dry conditions.
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy, Sri Lanka): The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is one of the newest and most scenic cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka, with a capacity of over 35,000. It has hosted 28 ODIs, with the last one being in 2021. The pitch at Pallekele is usually balanced, with an average first innings score of around 230. The weather in Kandy is expected to be humid and rainy, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.
- R Premadasa Stadium (Colombo, Sri Lanka): The R Premadasa Stadium is one of the largest and most famous cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka, with a capacity of over 35,000. It has hosted 131 ODIs, with the last one being in 2021. The pitch at Colombo is also balanced, with an average first innings score of around 240. The weather in Colombo is expected to be similar to Kandy, with humid and rainy conditions.
Live Streaming and Broadcast
The Asia Cup 2023 will be broadcasted live on various TV channels and online platforms across the world. Here are some of the options for watching the tournament live:
- India: Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
- Pakistan: PTV Sports and SonyLIV
- Sri Lanka: SLRC and Dialog TV
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV and Rabbitholebd
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport
- Nepal: Kantipur TV
- UK: Sky Sports Cricket
- USA: Willow TV
- Australia: Fox Sports
- Canada: ATN Cricket Plus
- UAE: OSN Sports Cricket HD
- South Africa: SuperSport
You can also follow the live updates and scores of the Asia Cup 2023 on our website www.dailyinfotainment.com.
We hope you enjoyed this article about the Asia Cup 2023. This tournament promises to be a thrilling contest between some of the best teams and players in Asia. Who do you think will win the Asia Cup 2023? Let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below.