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India will start their campaign in the 2023 Asian Cup against Pakistan on September 5 at the Pallekele International Stadium, Sportskeeda understands. The continental championship will be held in a hybrid model from August 31.
India will next take on tiny Nepal at the same venue on September 7, and then once again take on their arch-rivals in a Super Four match on September 10. It will, of course, be subject to the qualification of both teams.
Rohit Sharma’s boys will play all their matches at Pallekele, which is located in a suburb of Kandy. Although the ACC has not officially released the schedule yet, the final is also scheduled to be staged at the same ground.
The development comes amid increased back and forth with regards to locations. While Pakistan’s Sports Minister Ehsan Mazari, on the one hand, insists that India travel to their country, new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zakha Ashraf has given the green light to the hybrid model, on the other hand.
The opening match of the tournament will be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore between hosts Pakistan and Nepal. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will also play all league matches in Lahore in the following days. All teams, except for the last placed team in the other group, will then go to Sri Lanka.
As the Junior Teams Asia Cup, which starts tomorrow, takes place in Colombo, stakeholders in Kandy and Dambulla in the senior event have dwindled. This is because the two cities in the central province get the least rainfall during that period.
Asgeria Stadium – Kandy’s traditional test center – is now handicapped because it has no floodlights. Thus, Balkelly became the frontrunner. The Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, which hosted the Asian Cup in 2010, has the chance to get a few matches outside of India.
How did India perform in the 2022 Asian Cup?
Coming comfortably through the group stage, India fell from grace in their first Super Four match. Although Virat Kohli (60 off 44) helped India reach 181 for seven, Mohammad Rizwan’s 51-ball 71 and a superb cameo from Mohammad Nawaz (42 off 20) saw Pakistan cross the line with one ball remaining.
Sri Lanka added to India’s misery by again arriving home with a spare delivery left. After Rohit Sharma (72 from 41) hand-balling India to 173 for eight, Hanukha Rajapaksa (25* from 17) and Dason Chanaka (33* from 18) counter-attacked with aplomb to put up 64 runs for the fifth wicket in just 34 balls.
The seven-time champions exited the Super Four stage, but not before Virat Kohli finished off the draft century with 122* off 61 balls against Afghanistan in the final match.
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