Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan to host only 4 out of 13 matches, knockouts and final to be played in Sri Lanka

India will open their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Kandy on September 2 while meeting the neighbours in a Super 4 clash in Colombo on September 10, as per scheduled released by Asian Cricket Council on Wednesday. The six-team ODI tournament, which is a pre-cursor to the ICC World Cup will start on August 30 in Multan where hosts Pakistan takes on Nepal.

Asia Cup 2023 to be played in 'hybrid model'

(Asia Cup 2023 schedule / Image: Twitter/@ACCMedia1)

The Asia Cup is being played in Hybrid Model as four matches will be held in Pakistan while nine other games including the final will be held in Sri Lanka's Kandy and Colombo. The final will be held at the Premadasa Stadium on September 17. While India, Pakistan and Nepal constitute group A, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in group B.

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The release shared by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah said Pakistan will remain A1 and India will remain A2 irrespective of their positions after the first round. If either of them does not qualify, Nepal will take their position. Similarly, in Group B, Sri Lanka will remain B1 and Bangladesh will remain B2.

BCCI stay adamant on not playing Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan

(Roger Binny and Jay Shah during IND vs AUS 4th Test, Image: BCCI)

If any of these teams do not make it to Super 4s, Afghanistan will take their position. While Pakistan were originally scheduled to host this year’s Asia Cup, the Indian cricket board’s refusal to send a team across the border. Pakistan will thus host a total of four matches while the remaining nine matches will be played in Sri Lanka.

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After facing their arch-rivals in the tournament-opener, the Rohit Sharma-led team will have a one-day break before they face Nepal on September 4 at Kandy.