The 2023 Asia Cup will begin in Multan on August 30, with Pakistan facing Nepal, a day earlier t originally planned by the Asian Cricket Council. The first-round match between Pakistan and India will be played in Kandy on September 2, and if both sides advance to the Super 4, the game would be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The matches will also take place in Lahore, Pakistan. The final will take place on September 17 in Colombo, with the provision of a reserve day.
The original draft schedule, published by the PCB (the hosting board), went through multiple changes, owing mainly to the six-nation tournament being held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the hybrid model approved by the ACC recently.
According to the original draft, Pakistan was supposed to host 4 games in just one city. However, Multan was added as the second location when a new PCB administration took over last month, led by new chairman Zaka Ashraf.
The tournament will include 13 matches spread over four locations. Pakistan is in Group A with India and Nepal, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 4, with the top 2 teams from this round advancing to the final.