The highly anticipated official schedule of the Asia Cup has been revealed, putting an end to the months-long dispute between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan. Pakistan has managed to retain the hosting rights for the prestigious tournament, although only four out of the 13 matches will be held in the country. The other participating teams include Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, making it a competitive field for the ODI competition.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made significant efforts to salvage four matches from being relocated out of the country, proposing a hybrid model of hosting. Since the BCCI’s firm stance last October against playing in Pakistan, the PCB has endured three regime changes, each with slightly different negotiation approaches.
The Asia Cup is set to begin on August 30 with a match between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan. Three other matches will take place in Lahore, including an exciting Pakistan Super 4 fixture on September 6.
The remaining matches will be held in Sri Lanka, with three in Kandy and six in Colombo, culminating in the final match on September 17.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash will be a round-robin match scheduled to take place in Kandy on September 2. Fans can also look forward to a rematch during the Super 4 stage, set for September 10 in Colombo.
The September 10 match will be played between the top two teams of Group A. Since Nepal is the third team in the group, India and Pakistan are expected to face off in this match.
The final on September 17 will be played between the top two teams of the Super Four stage. If India and Pakistan secure the top spots, they will play against each other for the third time in the tournament in Colombo.