The much awaited updated schedule for Asia Cup 2023 has been finally announced, unveiling a tournament set to be held jointly in Pakistan & Sri Lanka. The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup, will have a 50-over format, as it’s been over the years since its commencement. It will be a crucial tournament for the Asian teams before the ICC World Cup 2023 scheduled to happen in October this year.
The initial draft of the schedule had gone through numerous revisions due to political tensions between Pakistan and India before the Asian Cricket Council finally settled on the current iteration. Although, the Asia Cup matches would be played at various locations across Pakistan and Sri Lanka, India’s matches have been designated for the latter only.
Asia Cup 2023: Teams distribution
This Asia Cup will see a clash of six teams which have been categorized into two groups, that is, Group A & B, comprising of three teams each. At initial stage, top two teams from each group will to the Super Fours. From thereon, the top two teams from the Super Fours will enter the grand finale. The team groupings are mentioned below:
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | Sri Lanka |
| Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| Nepal | Afghanistan |
The Asia Cup 2023 will commence on August 30 wherein Pakistan & Nepal will take on each other at Multan. A quartet of matches is slated for Pakistan, taking place across the cities of Multan and Lahore. Meanwhile, the remaining nine encounters will unfold in Sri Lanka, spanning across Kandy and Colombo. The grand finale will be held at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Asia Cup 2023: Schedule
| Date | Teams | Venue | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 |  Pakistan vs Nepal  | Multan, Pakistan | 2:30 pm |
| Aug 31 |  Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka  | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 2 |  India vs Pakistan | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 3 | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan  | Lahore, Pakistan | 2:30 pm |
| Sep 4 | India vs Nepal | Kandy, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 5 | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | Lahore, Pakistan | 2:30 pm |
| Sep 6 | A1 vs B2 | Lahore, Pakistan | 2:30 pm |
| Sep 9 | B1 vs B2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 10 | A1 vs A2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 12 | A2 vs B1 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 14 | A1 vs B1 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 15 | A2 vs B2 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
| Sep 17 | Final (Super 4s 1 vs Super 4s 2) | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 3.00 pm |
*A1 & A2 will be the first & second team from Group A.
**B1 & B2 will be the first & second team from Group B.
Out of the 6 group stage matches, the ultimate high-voltage encounter will be between India & Pakistan on September 2 at Kandy, Sri Lanka. In case, both the teams progress to the Super Fours stage, they will face each other again on September 10 at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Moreover, it’s a historical moment for Nepal as it became the first time participant in the Asia cup. Nepal will be playing its first against Pakistan which is the first match of the Asia Cup as well.