Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a bitter pill to swallow. After denied full hosting rights, Pakistan will only have one home game for Babar Azam & Co. Pakistan vs Nepal will be the only ‘home match’ in Lahore as Asia Cup Schedule is likely to be released tomorrow (July 14). Sri Lanka will host all other games including India vs Pakistan in Dambulla.
After a long delay and internal dispute between BCCI and PCB, the schedule has got approval from Pakistan. However, after losing full hosting rights, PCB now must be satisfied with just one home game.
“Yes, the schedule has been approved by all parties and it’s good to go. It’s true that Pakistan will only play one home game. But that’s not something anyone had any control over. It was to avoid fatigue. The schedule should be out in a day or two,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2023 Schedule releasing tomorrow: All eyes on India vs Pakistan matches
Pakistan Leg Asia Cup Schedule (Dates to be updated):
- Pakistan vs Nepal
- Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan
- Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan leg will start on August 31 with Pakistan vs Nepal. It will conclude on September 6. It is not a likely situation that Pakistan would want to be in, but with approval from all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) members, PCB does not have a choice.
Earlier, Pakistan’s minister in charge for sports, Ehsaan Mazari expressed his grievance against the Hybrid model that ex-PCB chairman Najam Sethi had proposed. However, PCB has conceded after talks with BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the ACC president.
“Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model. My personal opinion, since PCB comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India,” Pakistan’s minister in charge for sports, Ehsaan Mazari told Indian Express.
The caravan then moves to Sri Lanka which will host 11 group games and the final. The hotly debated India vs Pakistan match will be played in Dambulla.
Like the last ODI Asia Cup in 2018, it will once again follow the same format. All six teams will be divided into two pools of three. Top two teams from each group will move to Super 4 while the Top two teams from the four will qualify for the final.
Asia Cup Groups:
Pool 1: India, Pakistan, Nepal
Pool 2: Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka
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