Asia Cup 2023: India Will Remain A2 Even If They Finish Group Stage with Maximum Points – Here’s Why

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Jay Shah announced the schedule for Asia Cup 2023 through a Twitter post on Wednesday evening. After months of suspense, the official schedule of Asia’s premier tournament has been revealed. As per the initially agreed hybrid model, Pakistan will host four games while the remaining nine games will be played in Sri Lanka. India will play all their games, including the knockouts if they advance, in the island nation only.

Three group stage and one Super 4 matches will be staged in Pakistan. The ACC has decided to let go of the position-wise ranking in the group stage as India stated that they won’t travel to Pakistan.

The first match of the Super 4 stage will be played at Lahore between A1 vs B2 sides. Even if Team India ends the group stage with zero losses, it won’t be tagged as the A1 team as ACC has tweaked the rules a bit.

Irrespective of their position after the first round

• PAK will remain A 1
• IND will remain A2
• If either of them (IND OR PAK) don’t qualify then Nepal will take their position
• SL will remain B1
• BAN will remain B2
• If either of them (SL OR BAN) don’t qualify then Afghanistan will take their position

Meanwhile, Shah on Wednesday, announced the schedule of the Asia Cup 2023 before the Pakistan Cricket Board event which it staged to do the same.

“I am happy to announce the schedule for the highly anticipated Men’s ODI #AsiaCup2023, a symbol of unity and togetherness binding diverse nations together! Let’s join hands in the celebration of cricketing excellence and cherish the bonds that connect us all. @ACCMedia1,” Shah wrote on Twitter.

India and Pakistan have been grouped together alongside Nepal in Group A while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the sides featuring in the other group. Sri Lanka are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, while India won the tournament the last time it was held in a 50-over format in the UAE in 2018.

India will face Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy and it is highly likely that they may clash once again in the Super 4 stage on September 10.