The Asia Cup, the biennial cricket tournament that features the best teams from the continent, is set to return in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 16th edition of the event will be hosted in a hybrid model, with four matches being held in Pakistan and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka.
Why a Hybrid Model in Asia Cup 2023?
The decision to adopt a hybrid model was taken by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after India, the defending champions, refused to travel to Pakistan for security reasons. India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since 2012 due to political tensions between the two countries, and only meet in multi-team events at neutral venues.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially offered to host the entire tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where they have been playing their home matches since 2009. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) insisted on having a neutral venue for their matches, and suggested Sri Lanka as an alternative.
The ACC then came up with a compromise solution, where Pakistan would host four matches, including one against India, in the UAE, while Sri Lanka would host the rest of the matches, including a possible final between India and Pakistan, in their home soil. This way, both countries would get a share of hosting rights and revenues, while also ensuring India’s participation in the tournament.
Asia Cup 2023 Schedule (Matches & Dates)
The Asia Cup 2023 will feature six teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal. The teams will be divided into two groups of three each, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two teams of the Super Four will then play the final on September 17.
The tournament will begin on August 31 and will run until September 17. The Asia Cup 2023 schedule is as follows:
Group Stage
- August 31: Pakistan vs Nepal (UAE)
- September 1: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh (Sri Lanka)
- September 2: India vs Pakistan (UAE)
- September 3: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan (Sri Lanka)
- September 4: Bangladesh vs Nepal (Sri Lanka)
- September 5: India vs Nepal (UAE)
Super Four Stage
- September 8: Group A Winner vs Group B Runner-up (Sri Lanka)
- September 9: Group B Winner vs Group A Runner-up (Sri Lanka)
- September 10: Group A Winner vs Group A Runner-up (Sri Lanka)
- September 11: Group B Winner vs Group B Runner-up (Sri Lanka)
Final
- September 17: Super Four Winner vs Super Four Runner-up (Sri Lanka)
What Are The Expectations?
The Asia Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament, with all six teams having a realistic chance of lifting the trophy. India, who have won seven out of the previous 15 editions, will start as the favorites, given their depth and talent across all formats. However, they will face stiff challenges from their arch-rivals Pakistan, who have won twice and finished runners-up seven times, as well as from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, who have both reached the final thrice.
Afghanistan and Nepal, who qualified for the tournament through the Asia Cup Qualifier held in Oman in June 2023, will also look to cause some upsets and showcase their skills on the big stage. Afghanistan has been impressive in recent years, especially in limited-overs cricket, while Nepal have shown tremendous potential and passion for the game.
The hybrid model of hosting will also add an interesting dimension to the tournament, as teams will have to adapt to different conditions and environments. The UAE pitches are expected to be slow and low, favoring spinners and batsmen who can rotate strikes. The Sri Lankan pitches are likely to be more balanced, offering some assistance to seamers and swing bowlers as well as spinners.
The fans will also hope to witness some thrilling contests and high-quality cricket, especially between India and Pakistan, who have a history of producing memorable matches in the Asia Cup. The last time they met in the tournament was in 2018 when India beat Pakistan by nine wickets in the Super Four stage and by eight wickets in the final.
The Asia Cup 2023 will also serve as a preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in India in October-November. The teams will look to fine-tune their strategies and combinations and gain some confidence and momentum ahead of the mega event.
The Asia Cup 2023 is thus a significant and prestigious tournament for Asian cricket and will showcase the diversity and quality of the region’s cricketing talent. The hybrid model of hosting is a novel and pragmatic solution to the challenges posed by the pandemic and the political situation, and will hopefully pave the way for more cooperation and harmony among the Asian cricketing nations.
