LAHORE: Pakistan will face arch-rivals India in their group stage match of the 50-over Asia Cup tournament in Kandy on Sept 2, according to the schedule of the event announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in Lahore on Wednesday.

The glittering trophy of the event was also unveiled in a simple ceremony at a local hotel attended among others by PCB Interim Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf and prominent cricketers including former Pakistan captains Waqar Younis and Mohammad Hafeez, ex-Test spinner Abdul Rehman, pacer Wahab Riaz, who is Punjab caretaker sports minister, and ex-fast bowler Aizaz Cheema.

The six-nation continental showpiece will be hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka from Aug 30 to Sept 17 with Pakistan, the original hosts, staging four matches, and Sri Lanka nine.

Group ‘A’ comprises Pakistan, India and Nepal (Nepal will take position of the side, which fail to progress to the Super-4 stage) while Group ‘B’ contains Sri Lanka (B1), Bangladesh (B2) and Afghanistan (Afghanistan will take position of the side, which fail to reach the Super-4 stage).

Schedule of Asia Cup announced, trophy unveiled in Lahore

Four venues, two each in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will host the matches of the event which starts with the game between Pakistan and Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on Aug 30.

Pakistan will stage its remaining three matches at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Sri Lanka will use Kandy for the three first-round matches and Colombo for the five Super-4 stage fixtures and the final, to be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sept 17.

Sri Lanka will open their Asia Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Kandy on Aug 31.

If both Pakistan and India progress to the Super-4 stage, they will meet again on Sept 10 in Colombo.

If all goes according to the pre-event seeding, then Pakistan face Bangladesh in both sides’ first Super-4 match on Sept 6.

Pakistan and India are seeded as A1 and A2, respectively with Nepal as the third side in the group, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are seeded as B1 and B2 in their group, respectively with Afghanistan as the third side. If Nepal and Afghanistan qualify for Super-4 stage from their respective groups, they will take the seeding of the sides that have dropped out in the first round.

While welcoming the continental event as the host, Zaka said it would pave the way for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, also to be hosted by Pakistan.

“For Pakistan, it will be the homecoming of the ACC Asia Cup after 15 long years. We look forward to making it bigger and better so that the fans and participants can start counting down days leading up to the Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host in February 2025,” Zaka said.

In his comments on the Asia Cup, ACC president Jay Shah said the event unites the nations of the continent.

“We are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Asia Cup, a celebration of cricketing excellence that unites the nations of Asia in the spirit of competition and camaraderie. As ACC president, I extend my warmest regards and heartfelt wishes to all participating teams,” Shah stated.

Speaking at the trophy unveiling ceremony, fast bowling legend Waqar said that after many years, the Asia Cup was finally coming back to Pakistan for which credit should go to all including the government and the PCB.

Hafeez congratulated the fans for Pakistan hosting the Asia Cup and hoped that the country would hold more ICC tournaments in the future.

Giving his views on the Asia Cup, Wahab said against India, Pakistan only needed to focus on their performance without taking any pressure of the big game.

Aizaz said he still remembers how he bowled Pakistan to a thrilling one-run victory off the last ball of the final over in the 2012 Asia Cup final against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Asia Cup schedule (start times to be confirmed in due course):

Aug 30: Pakistan vs Nepal, Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan

Aug 31: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy

Sept 2: Pakistan vs India, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

Sept 3: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Sept 4: India vs Nepal, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

Sept 5: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium

Super-4 Stage:

Sept 6: A1 vs B2, Gaddafi Stadium

Sept 9: B1 vs B2, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Sept 10: A1 vs A2, R. Premadasa Stadium

Sept 12: A2 vs B1, R. Premadasa Stadium

Sept 14: A1 vs B1, R. Premadasa Stadium

Sept 15: A2 vs B2, R. Premadasa Stadium

Sept 17: Final — 1 vs 2, R. Premadasa Stadium

Sept 18: Reserve day for the final

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2023