The Asia Cup’s centerpiece match will feature longtime rivals Pakistan and India on August 28 in Dubai, according to the organizers on Tuesday.
Cricket matches between the two nations, which exclusively compete against one another in multi-team championships, are still on hold. The most eagerly anticipated match of the competition will take place a day after Sri Lanka and Afghanistan square off in the opening encounter.
Due to the political and economic situation in Sri Lanka, which still holds the title of host, the nine-team T20 event was moved last month to the United Arab Emirates. In their previous meeting, Pakistan defeated India in a T20 World Cup match in Dubai last year by a margin of 10 wickets. Three games will be played in Sharjah, according to ACC president Jay Shah, who is also the secretary of the Indian cricket board. Dubai will host 10 games, including the final on September 11.
The wait is finally over as the battle for Asian supremacy commences on 27th August with the all-important final on 11th September.
The 15th edition of the Asia Cup will serve as ideal preparation ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/QfTskWX6RD
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) August 2, 2022
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named a 15-player team for the Asia Cup 2022 and a 16-player team for the matches against the Netherlands in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. The Asia Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from August 27–September 11, while the ODI series versus the Netherlands will run from August 16–21.
Hasan Ali has been replaced in both squads by fast bowler Naseem Shah, and Salman Ali Agha, who traveled to England in 2021 for the ODIs, has been summoned back. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been kept in the ODI and T20I teams, and the team trainer and physiotherapist will oversee his recovery process and make the decision regarding his return to international cricket.
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🚨 Pakistan's squads for Netherlands ODIs and ACC T20 Asia Cup 🚨
Read more: https://t.co/CsUoxtXc1H#NEDvPAK | #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/4be4emR8Sy
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 3, 2022
From the Netherlands ODI team to the ACC T20 Asia Cup team, there will be five changes. Asif Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha, and Zahid Mehmood will be replaced by Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Usman Qadir.
India vs Pakistan: Most-watched World Cup Match in history of T20 cricket: ICC
Shoaib Malik, a seasoned cricketer who last played in the T20 World Cup in 2021, is also absent from the Asia Cup 2022 team. Chief selector Muhammad Wasim claimed in a statement that the PCB had only made ‘changes that were necessary.’
Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Shahnawaz Dahani, and Usman Qadir make up Pakistan’s team for the ACC T20 Asia Cup.
