Three Pakistan-India clashes likely as Asia Cup starts today

Pakistan will be eying their third Asia Cup title when the eight-team tournament begins in Dubai and Abu Dhabi today (Tuesday, Sept 9), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

From today until September 28th, the magic of the Asia Cup is set to captivate millions of fans around the world, especially on the subcontinent, considering Pakistan and India could face each other a total of three times before the tournament ends.

India were the original hosts of this Asia Cup, but due to tense political relations with Pakistan, both countries decided not to play on each other's soil. As a result, a middle ground was found, and the decision was made to hold this year's Asia Cup in the UAE.

Pakistan, who previously won the event in 2000 and 2012 – both in Bangladesh and in the ODI format – will be aiming to clinch their first T20I Asia Cup title, said a PCB press release issued in Lahore.

Fresh from their tri-series win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Pakistan will be looking to extend their winning streak in the forthcoming tournament.

In total, 16 editions of the Asia Cup have taken place, with the 2016 and 2022 editions contested in the T20I format. In the 2022 edition held in the UAE, Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka in the final by 23 runs.

Among the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, 10 players have featured in previous ACC Asia Cup events. Five players – Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nawaz, played in the T20I editions of the tournament.

All-rounder Nawaz, who was named player of the tournament in the tri-series with 120 runs and 10 wickets, is the only member of the current squad to have featured in both the 2016 and 2022 T20I editions of the Asia Cup.

In this edition, eight teams have been divided into two groups, with Pakistan, India, Oman and the UAE placed in Group A, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka are in Group B.

Pakistan will play their opening match against Oman at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on September 12, before facing India on Sunday, September 14, at the same venue. Their final group fixture will be against the UAE on September 17, also in Dubai.

According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four stage, where all teams will face each other in a round-robin format where another Pakistan-India match is likely provided they qualify for the Super Stage which is highly likely.

The top two sides at the end of the Super Four will qualify for the final, which will take place at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 28. Here, the possibility of a third Pakistan-India clash is strong.

Since Mike Hesson took over as head coach, Pakistan have played 14 T20Is, winning 10 of them. These victories include bilateral series wins against Bangladesh (May, 3-0) and the West Indies (July/August, 2-1), as well as the tri-series triumph in Sharjah, where they beat Afghanistan by 75 runs in the final on September 7.

Mike Hesson, talking to PCB Digital ahead of the tournament said, “I am pleased with the way the team is progressing. We have beaten Afghanistan in conditions that suit their spin attack, which was a real confidence builder. Winning a final under pressure before heading into the Asia Cup was also very important for us.

“Fakhar Zaman has grown in confidence throughout the tri-series after coming back from injury. He started slowly, but his 77 not out was crucial. He’s adapting his game to different conditions, you can’t always score at a strike rate of 160, but he has the ability to adjust when required. His contributions with the bat and in the field have been pleasing.

“Mohammad Nawaz has been outstanding. He was player of the series both in the tri-series and against the West Indies in USA. Since returning to the side, he’s become more confident and smarter about how to bowl at key moments. He is a huge asset in all three departments.

“An eight-team Asia Cup is great for Asian cricket. It’s a true test, it expands the game in the region, and it allows us to see players we don’t face often. Our pool is challenging with Oman, UAE and India. We have done our scouting, but we will need to adapt quickly. The key is not to get distracted by external pressures.

“We must focus on each game, qualify for the Super Four and then play consistently well to progress further. The side that handles those challenges best will win the tournament.”

The17-member squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim.

Group Stage Schedule

Sep 9: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 10: India vs United Arab Emirates at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 11: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 12: Pakistan vs Oman at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 13: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 14: India vs Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 15: United Arab Emirates vs Oman at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (5:30 PM IST)

Sep 15: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 16: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 17: Pakistan vs United Arab Emirates at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 18: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 19: India vs Oman at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Super Four Schedule

Sep 20: B1 vs B2 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 21: A1 vs A2 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 23: A2 vs B1 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 24: A1 vs B2 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 25: A2 vs B2 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Sep 26: A1 vs B1 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)

Final

Sep 28: Final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (8:00 PM IST)