Report | Asia Cup to kick off from August 30 while featuring India-Pakistan clash on September 2

After a series of conflicts over the hosting venue of the tournament, the Asia Cup is all set to commence from August 30 according to a report published by ESPNcricinfo. The battle to be crowned as the champions of Asia will kick off with the fixture between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan. The report further revealed that the final of the tournament will be played in Colombo. Additionally, arch-rivals India and Pakistan would lock horns on September 2 in Kandy. 

The original draft schedule was prepared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) but it has undergone several changes and the latest version features shared hosting rights between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The six-nation tournament will feature 13 matches with teams divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group will advance into the Super Four stage where they will battle it out to book a berth in the final. Only one Super Fours fixture will be hosted by Pakistan while the other games would be played in Sri Lanka. 

The competition will be a 50-over tournament, meaning all the teams except Nepal would approach it as crucial preparation ahead of the World Cup beginning in October.