Cricket fans can finally rejoice as the much-anticipated schedule for the Asia Cup 2023 has been announced. The 16th edition of this prestigious cricket tournament will commence on August 30, 2023, a day earlier than originally expected.
After a series of dramatic developments, the Asia Cup 2023 will feature a unique hybrid format with matches hosted across two countries – Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Out of the 13 matches, 4 will take place in Pakistan while the remaining 9, including the final on September 17, will be held in Sri Lanka.
The tournament opener between Pakistan and Nepal on August 30 will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
This will be followed by a match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on August 31 at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
All eyes will be on the high-voltage clashes between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. They will square off twice – first in the group stage on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy and then again in the Super 4 round, whose schedule is yet to be announced.
An interesting format has been devised for the Super 4 stage. Regardless of their group stage finish, Pakistan and India have been placed in positions A1 and A2 respectively while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh occupy places B1 and B2.
If Nepal and Afghanistan make it to the Super 4s, they will replace the eliminated team.
Asia Cup 2023 Tournament Format
The 2023 Asia Cup will be played in the 50-over format among 6 teams split into two groups of three teams each.
- Group A: India, Pakistan, Nepal
- Group B: Sri Lanka (defending champions), Afghanistan, Bangladesh
The tournament will comprise a total of 13 matches – 6 group league matches, 6 Super 4 matches and the Final.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 4 stage where each team plays the other once. The top two teams will then face off in the Final.
Asia Cup 2023 Host Countries
The 2023 Asia Cup will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the first time in a hybrid format. Out of the 13 matches, 4 will be held in Pakistan while 9 will be played in Sri Lanka.
Asia Cup 2023 Full Schedule
Here is the full schedule for Asia Cup 2023:
Group Stage:
30 Aug – Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan (Sri Lanka)
31 Aug – India vs Pakistan (Sri Lanka)
1 Sept – Bangladesh vs Afghanistan (Sri Lanka)
2 Sept – Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh (Sri Lanka)
3 Sept – Pakistan vs Nepal (Pakistan)
4 Sept – India vs Nepal (Pakistan)
Super Four Stage:
6 Sept – B1 vs B2 (Sri Lanka)
7 Sept – A1 vs A2 (Sri Lanka)
8 Sept – A1 vs B1 (Sri Lanka)
9 Sept – A2 vs B2 (Sri Lanka)
11 Sept – A1 vs B2 (Sri Lanka)
12 Sept – B1 vs A2 (Sri Lanka)
Final:
17 Sept – TBC vs TBC (Sri Lanka)
Asia Cup 2023 Participating Teams
The 6 teams participating in Asia Cup 2023 are:
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka (hosts & defending champions)
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- Nepal
Nepal has qualified for the Asia Cup for the first time by virtue of winning the 2022 ACC T20 Asia Cup Qualifier tournament.
Asia Cup 2023 Venues
The matches will be played across 2 countries at the following venues:
Sri Lanka: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Pakistan: National Stadium, Karachi | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Asia Cup 2023 Live Telecast & Streaming
- India: All matches will be telecast live on Star Sports Network and streamed on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.
- Pakistan: PTV Sports will televise the matches.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV will telecast the matches live.
- Afghanistan: National TV channels like Lemar TV will broadcast the matches.
- **Other regions:**ICC’s streaming platform ICC.tv will provide live streaming online.
With the top Asian teams in action ahead of the World Cup, Asia Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting tournament for cricket fans. The India-Pakistan clash on August 31 will be keenly watched as both teams prepare for the world event.
