All you need to know about the Asia Cup 2023

Here is everything you need to know about Asia’s most prestigious cricketing event.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will jointly host the 2023 Asia Cup, with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal joining forces for the tournament’s 16th instalment.

Notably, this marks Nepal’s debut in the tournament. Their entry was secured by triumphing in the inaugural ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023, where they secured victory in the final against the United Arab Emirates by a margin of seven wickets.

Originating back in 1984 in the ODI format, the tournament has seen alternating editions between ODI and T20I formats in recent years. However, the 2023 edition will exclusively feature the ODI (50-over) format.

India boasts the most illustrious record in the tournament, securing an impressive seven titles (six ODI and one T20I). Sri Lanka closely follows with six titles (five ODI and one T20I). Pakistan has claimed victory in the Asia Cup on two occasions.

Asia Cup Groups

Group A

India
Pakistan
Nepal

Group B

Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka

Asia Cup Format

On August 30th, the Asia Cup 2023 will kick off, and it will feature two groups, each with three teams competing in round-robin matches within their groups. The Super Four stage will follow, where the top two teams from each group will qualify. This stage will also involve a round-robin series of matches. Eventually, the final, scheduled for September 17th in Colombo, will be contested by the two leading teams from this stage.

Asia Cup dates

13 games will be played during the Asia Cup 2023 between 30 August and 17 September.

The tournament’s group stage will take place from August 30 to September 5. Among these matches, Pakistan will host three, while Sri Lanka will host the remaining.

Moving on to the Super Four stage, it will span from September 6 to September 15. During this phase, five matches are set to be played in Sri Lanka, with one held in Pakistan. The pinnacle of the tournament, the final, is set to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on September 17.

Asia Cup venues

The Asia Cup matches will take place at four venues, covering both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tournament’s Pakistan leg will happen in Multan and Lahore, whereas the Sri Lankan segment will occur in Kandy and Colombo.

Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Asia Cup squads

Afghanistan Squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Despite a recent 3-0 series loss to Pakistan, Afghanistan’s ODI performances have been promising. They displayed resilience in a 2-1 series against Sri Lanka and secured a 2-1 victory against Bangladesh in July. The team will heavily rely on their world-class spinners to thrive in sub-continent conditions.

Bangladesh Squad 

Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Bangladesh started the season strong with a 2-0 ODI series win against Ireland but faced a tough challenge against Afghanistan at home, losing 2-1. Player availability has been an issue, with Ebadot Hossain and former captain Tamim Iqbal facing injuries, impacting the team’s preparation for the Asia Cup.

India Squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve)

India’s performance in the ODI format has been a mix of successes and setbacks. They claimed victories over New Zealand and Sri Lanka in home series but encountered defeat against Australia. Recently, they triumphed over West Indies in a series, showcasing their eagerness to regain top form for the Asia Cup.

Nepal Squad

Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Mousom Dhakal, Sundeep Jora, Kishore Mahato, Arjun Saud

Making their tournament debut, Nepal aims to continue their impressive journey. The squad, led by Rohit Paudel, displayed remarkable form in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. They won 11 out of 12 games, securing a spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023. Their inspiring journey adds an element of excitement to the Asia Cup.

Pakistan Squad

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve)

Pakistan’s performances have been commendable across formats. After a series loss to New Zealand, they bounced back with a victory against the same team. Their dominant 3-0 win against Afghanistan elevated them to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings. Pakistan’s well-rounded lineup positions them as strong contenders for the Asia Cup.

Sri Lanka Squad

To be announced