There has been great anticipation among the cricket fans this year at the prospect of arch-rivals India and Pakistan meeting at least twice in men’s cricket in the calendar. Both teams will square off in the Asia Cup before renewing their rivalry in the ODI World Cup in October; however, while the date and venue for their clash at the latter is already known, there has remained significant speculation over the same in the continental tournament.
With controversies revolving around the schedule for the Asia Cup, Arun Dhumal, the current chairman of the Indian Premier League, has seemingly put a rest to rumours and confirmed that the side will take on Pakistan in Sri Lanka. According to a report from news agency PTI, India will not travel to Pakistan for the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup and all of their matches will take place in the island nation.
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The decision was taken after BCCI secretary Jay Shah met Pakistan Cricket Board’s representative head Zaka Ashraf. According to Dhumal, four matches of the continental tournament will take place in Pakistan with the rest being scheduled in Sri Lanka.
“Our secretary met PCB head Zaka Ashraf and the Asia Cup schedule was finalised and it is on course as it was discussed earlier. There will be four games of league stage in Pakistan, followed by 9 games in Sri Lanka including both India versus Pakistan game and in case a third game if both teams play final,” Dhumal told PTI.
He rubbished reports emerging from Pakistan media that India will travel to neighbouring country as their sports minister Ehsan Mazari had been claiming in some quarters.
“There was no such discussion held. Neither India is travelling to Pakistan nor our secretary will be travelling contrary to reports that have surfaced. Only the schedule was finalised,” he said.
India, in all likelihood, will play Pakistan in Sri Lanka’s Dambulla just like 2010 edition, the report further states. Pakistan’s only home match in their country will be against minnows Nepal. The other three games are Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan.
This is the first Asia Cup to be hosted in the subcontinent since 2016, when Bangladesh had last hosted the continental tournament. Since then, both editions (2018 and 2022) have been hosted by the United Arab Emirates.
