India will open its Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan in Kandy on September 2 while meeting again in a Super 4 clash in Colombo on September 10, as per scheduled released by Asian Cricket Council on Wednesday.
The six-team ODI tournament will start on August 30 in Multan where host Pakistan takes on Nepal. The tournament is being played in a ‘hybrid model’ with four matches in Pakistan and nine other games, including the final, in Sri Lanka’s Kandy and Colombo. The final will be held at the Premadasa Stadium on September 17.
While India, Pakistan and Nepal constitute group A, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in group B.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah said Pakistan will remain A1 and India will remain A2 irrespective of their positions after the first round. If either of them does not qualify, Nepal will take their position.
Similarly, in Group B, Sri Lanka will remain B1 and Bangladesh will remain B2. If any of these teams do not make it to Super 4s, Afghanistan will take their position.
The schedule: Group stage: Aug. 30: Pakistan vs. Nepal (Multan); Aug. 31: Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka (Kandy); Sept. 2: India vs. Pakistan (Kandy); Sept. 3: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan (Lahore); Sept. 4: India vs. Nepal (Kandy); Sept. 5: Sri Lanka vs. Afghanistan (Lahore).
Super 4s: Sept. 6: A1 vs. B2 (Lahore); Sept. 9: B1 vs. B2 (Colombo); Sept. 10: A1 vs. A2 (Colombo); Sept. 12: A2 vs. B1 (Colombo); Sept. 14: A1 vs. B1 (Colombo); Sept. 15: A2 vs. B2 (Colombo) Sept. 17: Final (Colombo).
