The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has given its nod to conduct the Hybrid Asia Cup 2023, which will pave way to host the continental championship in two countries — Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup will organize a total of four matches in Pakistan and the remaining nine matches in Sri Lanka.
Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, in a tweet thanked the Asian Cricket Council for accepting his hybrid model for the ACC Asia Cup 2023, which is now scheduled from 31 August to 17 September.
The green signal for the model, mooted by designated host Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was accepted at a meeting of the ACC chaired by Jay Shah. The tournament will run from August 31 to September 17.
Six Teams to fight for the Hybrid Asia Cup 2023
The six teams in the Hybrid Asia Cup 2023 championship have been divided into two groups. Two teams from each group will play in the Super Four stage. The top two teams will then clash in the final for the Asia Hybrid Cup.
India and Pakistan in all likelyhood will be in the same group to leading to three highly-energy India-Pakistan clashes in the 13-match championship. Lahore will be the venue for the Pakistan leg of the championship.
However, the venues in Sri Lanka have not yet been declared. Initially the matches were to be held in Colombo but having realised that the city could be witnessing disturbing weather during early September, the ACC and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are believed to be planning to move the matches to Hambantota and Pallekele.
In addition to India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal will compete in the championship which is seen as a great cricket game warmup to the World Cup in India in October and November.
Earlier, the Hybrid Asia Cup 2023 had run into rough weather due to BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan. But eventually the PCB, who initially insisted on the UAE hosting the matches which aren’t feasible in Pakistan, eventually gave up to the pressure from the Asian nations.
BCCI sources say the stamp of approval, largely on the anticpated lines, was considered after a discussion with PCB chairman Najam Sethi. However, it’s seems that the approval of PCB’s hybrid model and Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming World Cup are being looked at as two mutually exclusive events.
Sharing the excitement with their cricket loving people – The PCB twitter handle posted – The great game of cricket will continue to thrive and move forward in what will be interesting and exciting times for the subcontinent cricket fans from the ACC Asia Cup 2023 to ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
