Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan To Take on Debutants Nepal in Curtain-Raiser

Asia Cup 2023: The highly anticipated competition will kick-start today, at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Asia Cup 2023: The first match will see Pakistan taking on Nepal.

(Photo: Twitter/ICC)

The wait will finally be over after days of ifs and buts, with Pakistan and Nepal kickstarting the proceedings in the Asia Cup 2023 in Multan on Wednesday, 30 August.

The first match of the competition, which is being held, for the first time, in two different countries, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, owing to geo-political considerations as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send its team across the border to play in Pakistan.

Thus Pakistan, with an enviable bowling lineup, will kickstart its campaign in the first match of the continental event at the Multan Cricket Stadium, while India will play their matches in various venues in Sri Lanka.

Never before has the Asia Cup been co-hosted. But after the BCCI refused to send its team to Pakistan, the ACC (Asian Cricket Council), was forced to find this unique solution.

Though some of the PCB officials expressed their dissatisfaction, it was to no avail as this seemed the only way to salvage the tournament. Now the stage is set and players are eagerly waiting to test their skills ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup scheduled later this year. 

For the Asia Cup, the teams have been divided into two groups comprising three teams each, playing in a round-robin cycle, set to compete for the prized trophy. 

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage, followed by the topper of each group to play the final on September 15 in Colombo. India, Nepal, and Pakistan are placed in Group A, whereas Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka are in Group B.

A total of 13 games will be played throughout the tournament. The group stage matches will be played between 30 August to 5 September, with three games being played in Pakistan, and the rest in Sri Lanka.

The Super Four Stage will be played between 6 to 15 September, with five being played in Sri Lanka and one game in Pakistan. The final will be hosted at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 17 September.

Team Nepal will play for the first time, marking their debut in the tournament. They qualified by winning the inaugural ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023, in which they overcame the United Arab Emirates in the final by seven wickets.

Pakistan Name Playing XI, Iftikhar Ahmed Returns

Pakistan, meanwhile, have already named their playing XI for the opening clash. They have gone heavy on batting depth for their tournament opener. With three frontline quicks and three spin-bowling all-rounders, the team isn't short of options in the bowling department either.

There are a few changes from the XI that played Afghanistan in the final ODI in Colombo. Iftikhar Ahmed is coming into the middle order, replacing Saud Shakeel. There was also no room for pacer Mohammad Wasim with Pakistan opting to go with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.

Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz will be aided by Salman Agha in the spin department. The batting line-up has a familiar look with Iftikhar coming back into the middle-order after missing the final ODI against Afghanistan.

Pakistan Playing XI Against Nepal: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.