The complete schedule for the much-anticipated Asia Cup has been confirmed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Twitter. The tournament, set to be played in the UAE, will begin on August 27, and the final will be played on September 12.

“The wait is finally over as the battle for Asian supremacy commences on August 27 with the all-important final on September 11. The 15th edition of the Asia Cup will serve as ideal preparation ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup,” Shah tweeted.

For the first time in its history, the tournament will be played in the T20I format, and it will serve as a much-needed dress rehearsal for the upcoming ICC T20I World Cup in Australia. 

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will be up against each other on August 28 in Dubai. Both sides are pooled in Group A along with the regional qualifiers Hong Kong, while Group B will comprise of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Teams from respective groups will face each other twice, and the top two sides from each group will qualify for Super 4. 

The Super 4 will be held in a round-robin format, and the top two teams in the points table will meet each other in the final. Other than a Group stage clash, India and Pakistan will meet again in the Super 4, on September 4. There’s a high chance for both sides to meet for the third time in just over two weeks, provided they qualify for the final. 

One user wrote, “Who said it Asia Cup and not the 3 T20I series between India and Pakistan.”

But this is not the end. A month later, both teams will lock horns again, at the prestigious Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the T20I World Cup. The last time they met each other was in the same competition in 2021, where Pakistan crushed India by 10 wickets. Before that, India had never lost to Pakistan in any ICC trophy. 

Featured Image Credit: BCCI