Asia Cup 2023: Fixtures Announced, India To Start Campaign on 2 September vs Pak

Asia Cup 2023: India will play group stage matches in Kandy, with Colombo set to host Super 4s.

Asia Cup 2023: India and Pakistan will face off on 2 September.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

The schedule for Men's Asia Cup 2023 was released on Wednesday, 19 July, following months of delay owing to a dispute regarding host nation. The competition will be played in four venues across two countries – Lahore and Multan in Pakistan; Kandy and Colombo in Sri Lanka – and will run from 30 August to 17 September.

The first match of the competition will see Pakistan, the tournament hosts, taking on Nepal at the Multan International Cricket Stadium. India, meanwhile, will start their campaign on 2 September, with a match against the green shirts at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Asia Cup 2023: Group stage fixture.

Asia Cup 2023: Super 4s and final fixture.

India’s second group stage fixture will be against Nepal at the same venue, whilst the Super 4s stage will commence on 6 September. Should Pakistan and India both qualify for the Super 4s, they will square off again on 10 September, this time at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Of the 13 matches, Pakistan are set to four matches, including a Super 4s match. All of the other Super 4s game, alongside the final, will be contested in Colombo.

Caveats for Asia Cup 2023

According to the regulations mentioned by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in case India and Pakistan both qualify for the Super 4s, India will be assigned A2 position, whilst Pakistan will be assigned A1, irrespective of their actual position in the group stages.

In this scenario, Pakistan will have the opportunity of starting their Super 4s campaign on their home soil, taking on the second-ranked team of Group B at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Meanwhile, it has also been stated that if Sri Lanka and Bangladesh both qualify from the second group, Sri Lanka will be assigned B1 and Bangladesh will be B2, meaning Bangladesh will take on the hosts in Lahore.