Asia Cup 2023: How India and Pakistan can play against each other three times

Jul 20, 2023 - 12:30

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Asia Cup 2023: How India and Pakistan can play against each other three times

The Asia Cup 2023 schedule was revealed on Wednesday by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general secretary Jay Shah and it’s confirmed that India will play Pakistan on 2 September in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The schedule also lays the roadmap for potentially three India vs Pakistan matches in the tournament.

If not three, at least two face-offs between the Asian rivals look a certainty.

Both India and Pakistan are drawn in Group A. With teams playing against each other in the group stage once, India vs Pakistan Group A match on 2 September is fixed.

Post the group stage, teams will take part in Super Four before the final. The top two teams from each group will qualify for Super Four and once against play against each other once.

With world No 15 Nepal in India (world No 3) and Pakistan’s (world No 2) group, there’s a strong chance Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam’s sides will qualify for the Super Four unless Nepal pulls off a major surprise. This should guarantee one more India vs Pakistan clash, this time in Super Four.

For the neighbours to once again clash against each other in the Asia Cup 2023, both India and Pakistan will have to qualify for the final. The top two teams from Super Four will take part in the final of Asia Cup 2023.

Why India vs Pakistan matches are important?

There’s a reason the schedule is made the way it is. There’s a reason India and Pakistan are pitted against each in the same group and the third team in the group is debutant Nepal. This in all probability ensures at least two India vs Pakistan matches. It’s the demand for the matches between the arch-rivals that helps ACC to command big fees for media rights.

Cricket is a popular spot but it’s the India vs Pakistan matches that keep the Asia Cup afloat.

Full schedule:

Group A: Pakistan, India, Nepal
Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan

Group Stage

30 August: Pakistan vs Nepal in Multan, Pakistan

31 August: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

2 September: Pakistan vs India in Kandy, Sri Lanka

3 September: Bangladesh vs Pakistan in Lahore, Pakistan

4 September: India vs Nepal in Kandy, Sri Lanka

5 September: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka in Lahore, Pakistan

Super Fours

6 September: A1 vs B2 in Lahore, Pakistan