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The 2023 Asia Cup schedule was unveiled on July 19, indicating that the tournament will commence on August 30 in Multan, Pakistan. This time, Pakistan will host the event in a hybrid model. While four matches, including a Super 4s game, will be held in the original host country, the remaining nine matches, including the final, will take place in Sri Lanka.
The tournament will kick off with Pakistan playing against Nepal, followed by a high-stakes clash against their arch-rivals India in Kandy on September 2. In the group stage, two out of three teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage. This means that if India and Pakistan both make it through from Group A, they will face each other once more in the Super Four, along with the two qualifying teams from Group B, which consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Given the strength of the competing teams, India and Pakistan are considered the two strongest sides in the tournament, increasing the likelihood of them meeting once again in the final. Notably, the Asia Cup format does not include semi-finals or quarter-finals, leading to a straight direct final. Consequently, every single game will hold significant importance.
According to the Asia Cup schedule, Pakistan and India will be placed as A1 and A2, respectively. This arrangement means they will face off again on September 10. If both teams win at least two games each, they will qualify for the final, setting the stage for their third encounter within a span of 15 days.
These three matches are anticipated to serve as a dress rehearsal for the much-anticipated showdown between the two teams, which will take place a month later in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The World Cup encounter between India and Pakistan is scheduled for October 15 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Cricket fans can expect an intense and thrilling rivalry unfolding in both tournaments.
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