Asia Cup 2018: Venues, Schedule, Formats and Teams Announced
Apr 14, 2018 at 6:31 PM
After a lot of dilemma and negotiations, United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the Asia Cup later this year. The tournament will take place from September 18 to 30 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Meanwhile, both India and Pakistan haven’t had any bilateral series since long. However, the fans can witness the arch-rivals locking horns against each other in this year’s continental tournament.
Six teams will take part in the tournament including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Qualifier side. There will be two groups of three teams each with India, Pakistan, and the Qualifier in Group A while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be in Group B.
Group A: India, Pakistan, Qualifier
Group B: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
However, as reported in Cricingif, the arch-rivals will square off against each other in the first group game on September 21. Both the teams will face each other again on September 27, if the qualifier team fails to beat both India and Pakistan.
Moreover, if all the results go as per expectations, an India-Pakistan is likely on our way on September 30.
The tournament will kick off with the group stages and then the super 4 round followed by the grand finale. Unlike the last time in Bangladesh, this year’s tournament will be a 50-over format.
Six teams Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Singapore, and UAE, will play the qualifiers which will start from September 13, and the main tournament will start from September 18.
Here is the full schedule:
Group Stage
September 18: Pakistan vs Qualifier and Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
September 19: India vs Qualifier
September 20: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
September 21: India vs Pakistan and Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
Super 4 Round
September 23: 1st Group A vs 2nd Group B
September 24: 1st Group B vs 2nd Group A
September 25: 2nd Group A vs 2nd Group B
September 26: 1st Group A vs 1st Group B
September 27: 1st Group A vs 2nd Group A
September 28: 1st Group B vs 2nd Group B
September 30: Final
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