Asia Cup 2023

India will open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday in the third match of the tournament at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on the eve of the match, Shastri said that India have their strongest lineup since 2011 and have an experienced captain in Rohit Sharma, which will be a massive advantage for the side.

The same playing eleven from Pakistan, the top-ranked ODI team, had thrashed Asia Cup debutants Nepal by 238 runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium in the tournament opener. Pakistan rose to the top of the ICC ODI rankings after securing a 3-0 series sweep over Afghanistan in Sri Lanka.

"There are six very competitive teams in the Asia Cup and on a given day anyone can beat anyone. Rivalry is there for people to talk about. As a team, what we see is we have an opposition to play tomorrow and see what we want to do. What is going to help us is to keep doing the right things on the field," he said in the pre-match press conference.

Spinners Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage kept the Bangladesh batting line in middle overs, never allowing the batters to score freely, though Najmul Hossain Shanto played a valiant hand for Bangladesh with a fine 89. In reply, Sri Lanka were reduced to 43-3, but Charith Asalanka slammed 62 not out, hitting five fours and a six, while Sadeera Samarawickrama made 54, laced with six fours. 

The offer includes limited tickets for the Grass Embankment and Scorecard Grass Embankment at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium for the special Asia Cup showdown, the Sri Lanka Cricket informed in a release on Thursday. The tickets will be available at Rs 1500 (LKR). 

Electing to bat first on a dry pitch, Pakistan lost their openers early and had suffered a middle-overs slump. But Babar and Iftikhar shared a sensational 214-run partnership off 131 balls for the fifth wicket, the highest-ever for Pakistan at this position in the ODIs.

India will open their 2023 Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan on September 2, before playing Nepal on September 4. Both of India’s Group A matches will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

Electing to bat first on a dry pitch, Pakistan lost their openers early and had suffered a middle-overs slump. But Babar and Iftikhar shared a sensational 214-run partnership for the fifth wicket, the highest-ever for Pakistan at this position in the ODIs, to set up a very daunting chase for Nepal.

While talking to Star Sports, Manjrekar said, "See, fortunately for India, number one, two, and three, when Virat bats at number three, they are three very good test batters. And you might talk about 50 overs being a one-day match and white-ball cricket and all that, but the start of a 50 overs game is not like a T20 match.”

While talking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said Pakistan’s success depends much on skipper Babar Azam and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan's performance.