According to the Press Trust of India, the schedule has been confirmed for this year’s Asia Cup, which will be hosted by both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Four matches will take place in Pakistan, while the remaining games will be held in Sri Lanka.
India and Pakistan will face off in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, reminiscent of the 2010 edition. Pakistan’s sole home match will be against Nepal. The other three matches in Pakistan will be Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan. The games in Pakistan are expected to be held in Lahore.
The schedule was finalized during a meeting between Zaka Ashraf, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, and Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The meeting took place on the sidelines of the chief executives’ committee (CEC) meeting during the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual session in Durban, South Africa.
Arun Dhumal, the current chairman of the Indian Premier League, confirmed the schedule, stating, “Our secretary met PCB head Zaka Ashraf, and the Asia Cup schedule was finalized. There will be four league stage games in Pakistan, followed by nine matches in Sri Lanka, including both the India vs Pakistan game and a potential final if both teams qualify.”
Due to security concerns, the Asia Cup will be played using a hybrid model after India declined to tour Pakistan for the event.
In response to the security concerns, Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, the Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination, dismissed the notion that Pakistan is an unsafe country for cricket. He criticized India for mixing politics with sports, highlighting instances where Indian teams participated in various sports events in Pakistan and emphasizing that Pakistan has successfully hosted international events, including the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with foreign players.
The Asia Cup cricket tournament will take place from August 31 to September 17, featuring six teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal. A total of 13 One Day International (ODI) matches will be played. The teams are divided into two groups, with Group A consisting of Pakistan, India, and Nepal, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka form Group B.
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