Asia Cup 2023
The finest cricket teams from Asia compete in the Asia Cup, an international tournament. Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is in charge of organising the event, which takes place every two years.
The 19th Asia Cup will take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17; it will be the tournament’s first appearance in Pakistan. The six teams competing in the competition are:
The Asia Cup is one of the most prestigious cricket tournaments in the world and is always keenly contested. The tournament is a great opportunity for the top teams from the Asian continent to test their skills against each other and to prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup, which will be held in India in 2023.
History of the Asia Cup
In 1984, the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah hosted the inaugural Asia Cup. Pakistan won the competition by defeating India in the championship match.
Since then, the Asia Cup has been held every two years with the exception of 2000, when it was postponed because of the India-Pakistan Kargil War.
India has won the Asia Cup an unprecedented eight times, making them the most successful team in the competition’s history. Sri Lanka has won the competition twice, whereas Pakistan has won it five times. The event has been won by Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal each once.
Asia Cup 2023 : Participating Teams
The six teams participating in the Asia Cup 2023 are:
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- Nepal
These are the top six teams in the Asian continent in terms of ODI rankings
Asia Cup 2023 : Match Venues
The matches of the Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the following venues:
Pakistan:
- Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- Multan Stadium, Punjab
Sri Lanka
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Asia Cup 2023 : Format
The tournament’s groupings and structure were revealed on January 9th, 2023, and the six teams were divided into two groups of three. There will be a total of 13 games, including a final, six Super 4 games, and six league games. The winners of the qualification competition (2023 ACC Men’s Premier Cup), India, Pakistan, and Nepal, have been put in Group A, while the defending champions, Sri Lanka, are drawn in Group B with Bangladesh and Afghanistan. To the Super 4, the top two teams from each group advance. The top two teams will then face off in the championship game.
Group A
| Teams |
|---|
| India |
| Pakistan |
| Nepal |
Group B
| Teams |
|---|
| India |
| Pakistan |
| Nepal |
Asia Cup 2023 : Schedule
The schedule for the Asia Cup 2023 is as follows:
| Date | Teams | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August | Pakistan Vs Nepal | Multan, Pakistan | 3.30 pm |
| 31 August | Bangladesh Vs Sri Lanka | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 1.00 pm |
| 2 September | Pakistan Vs India | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 1.00 pm |
| 3 September | Bangladesh Vs Afghanistan | Lahore, Pakistan | 1.30 pm |
| 4 September | India Vs Nepal | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 1.00 pm |
| 5 September | Afghanistan v Sri Lanka | Lahore, Pakistan | 3.30 pm |
| Super 4's | |||
| 6 September | A1 v B2 | Lahore, Pakistan | 3.30 pm |
| 9 September | B1 v B2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
| 10 September | A1 v A2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
| 12 September | A2 v B1 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
| 14 September | A1 v B1 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
| 15 September | A2 v B2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
| 17 September | FINAL | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 2.00 pm |
The biggest challenges facing the teams participating in the Asia Cup 2023 are :
- The weather conditions in Pakistan and Sri Lanka can be challenging.
- The pitches in Pakistan and Sri Lanka can be slow and low, which can favor the spinners.
- The teams need to be prepared for the high-pressure matches.
- Toss as always is the key.
Team Players
| India Team Squad |
| Rohit Sharma | Mohammed Shami | Ravindra Jadeja | Virat Kohli |
| Axar Patel | Suryakumar Yadav | Jasprit Bumrah | KL Rahul |
| Shardul Thakur | Kuldeep Yadav | Shreyas Iyer | Hardik Pandya |
| Ishan Kishan | Prasidh Krishna | Shubman Gill | Mohammed Siraj |
| Pakistan Team Squad |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Babar Azam | Agha Salman | Iftikhar Ahmed |
| Usama Mir | Mohammad Nawaz | Shaheen Afridi | Naseem Shah |
| Shadab Khan | Haris Rauf | Fakhar Zaman | Abdullah Shafique |
| Saud Shakeel | Mohammad Wasim Jr | Mohammad Haris |
| Sri Lanka Team Squad | |
| Sri Lanka Team squad will be announced very soon by respective board. |
| Afghanistan Team Squad | |
| Afghanistan Team squad will be announced very soon by respective board. |
| Bangladesh Team Squad |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Shakib Al Hasan | Taskin Ahmed | Mustafizur Rahman |
| Litton Das | Nasum Ahmed | Ebadat Hossain | Hasan Mahmud |
| Mahedi Hasan | Mehidy Hasan | Najmul Hossain Shanto | Afif Hossain |
| Mohammad Naim | Tanzid Hasan | Towhid Hridoy | Shamim Hossain |
| Shoriful Islam |
| Nepal Team Squad |
| Sompal Kami | KC Karan | Aarif Sheikh | Sandeep Lamichhane |
| Sundeep Jora | Dipendra Singh Airee | Rohit Paudel | Lalit Rajbanshi |
| Bhim Sharki | Kushal Malla | Aasif Sheikh | Kushal Bhurtel |
| Gulsan Jha | Kishore Mahato | Arjun Saud | Mousom Dhakal |
| Pratis GC |
key players to watch out for in the Asia Cup 2023 are :
- Virat Kohli (India) The Indian ex captain is one of the best batsmen in the world.
- Babar Azam (Pakistan) The Pakistani captain is another world-class batsman who will be a key player for his team.
- Rohit Sharma (India) The Indian captain is another prolific batsman who will be looking to score big runs.
- KL Rahul (India) The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is a versatile player who can bat anywhere in the order.
- Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) The Bangladeshi all-rounder is a match-winner with both bat and ball.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) The Afghani leg spinner who has the capability to turn matches.
Asia Cup Past Winner Team List
| Edition | Year | Host Country | Winner | Sub Winner |
| 1 | 1984 | UAE | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2 | 1986 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Pakistan |
| 3 | 1988 | Bangladesh | India | Sri Lanka |
| 4 | 1990 | India | India | Sri Lanka |
| 5 | 1995 | UAE | India | Sri Lanka |
| 6 | 1997 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | India |
| 7 | 2000 | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| 8 | 2004 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | India |
| 9 | 2008 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | India |
| 10 | 2010 | Sri Lanka | # | # |
| 11 | 2012 | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| 12 | 2014 | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka | Pakistan |
| 13 | 2016 | Bangladesh | India | Bangladesh |
| 14 | 2018 | UAE | India | Bangladesh |
| 15 | 2022 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Pakistan |
| 16 | 2023 | Pakistan* | TBS | TBS |
Conclusion
The 2023 Asia Cup is shaping up to be a thrilling tournament, with India and Pakistan as the favorites to win. But the other teams are not to be underestimated, and the tournament is sure to be full of surprises.
The tournament will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, two countries with a rich cricketing history. The pitches in both countries are expected to be slow and low, which will favor the spinners. This could be a challenge for the batsmen, but it could also open up opportunities for the bowlers too.
Cricket fans are in for a treat, and this is one tournament you would definitly not like to miss. So mark your calendars and get ready for the Asia Cup 2023 !!!