Pakistan to play ODI series against Afghanistan ahead of Asia Cup

Pakistan men’s cricket team will tour Sri Lanka to play Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in August, prior to the Asia Cup 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday.

The two teams will play the first two matches in Hambantota on 22 and 24 before they travel to Colombo for the final ODI on 26.

These three matches will provide Babar Azam’s side with an opportunity to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the 50-over ACC Men’s Asia Cup, which begins on 30 August with Pakistan playing Nepal at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium.

The national men’s side will assemble in Sri Lanka on 17 August and will train on 19, 20 and 21 August.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have played four ODIs and Pakistan have won all of them. The two sides last played each other in the format in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

This year’s Asia Cup will kick off with host Pakistan taking on Nepal in the curtain raiser on August 30 in Multan.

Pakistan will host a total of four matches including a Super 4s fixture.

India’s group stage matches including the anticipated clash against Pakistan, scheduled on September 2, will be held in Kandy while the rest of the Super 4s matches, including the final will be played in Colombo.

The arch-rivals Pakistan and India will come face to face again on September 10 in Colombo if both manage to qualify for the Super 4s.

Like the previous edition, the Asia Cup schedule holds a possibility of treating the cricket fans with a maximum of three Pakistan-India matches in a single tournament if both arch-rivals, in a first, simultaneously qualify for the final.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s. The continental event will run from August 31 to September 17.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and co-hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

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