Asia Cup 2023

Pakistan, the top-ranked ODI team are the two-time Asia Cup winners and are playing against Nepal for the first time in the format. Nepal, who got their ODI status in 2018, are making their debut appearance in the Asia Cup after winning the inaugural ACC Men’s Premier Cup earlier this year.

Suryakumar, the top-ranked T20I batter, has played 26 ODIs and averages only 24.33 at a strike-rate of 101.38. The right-handed batter made scores of 19, 24 and 35 in the recent ODIs against the West Indies, and before that, he was dismissed for three consecutive first-ball ducks against Australia at home in March.

"Though the Pakistani team is top in ranking nowadays, I want to remind you that Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last time, while India couldn't even qualify for the finals. The India-Pakistan game is very important, but you can't rule out other teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, even Afghanistan has a surprise element," said Akram.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had extended an invitation to the Indian cricket board to attend the matches in the Pakistan leg of the tournament, which gets underway on August 30. According to reports, the two BCCI officials will travel to Pakistan via Wagah Border on September 4 as representatives of the board during the Asia Cup.

Right-handed middle-order batters K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been selected in India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, happening from August 30 to September 17, after recovering in time from a right thigh and back injury respectively.

The squad also includes left-hander Tilak Varma, who hasn't made his ODI debut yet. Seamers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, who made their international comebacks during the ongoing T20I series in Ireland after recovering from back surgeries, have also been selected.

The video was posted on Twitter and it got mixed reviews from the netizens.

India will be facing off against arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stage of 50-over Asia Cup 2023 on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. If India and Pakistan make it to Super Four stage, they are then slated to meet in Colombo.

Rahul has been out of action since being injured during his team Lucknow Super Giants' match in IPL 2023 against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 1, after clutching his right thigh and then limping from the field while chasing the ball to stop a boundary in the second over.

Tahir’s magnificent century, along with fifties by openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan in a 121-run opening partnership, propelled Pakistan ‘A’ to a mammoth 352 for eight in 50 overs. In reply, India ‘A’ were all out for 224 in 40 overs, with Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with 61 off 51 balls.