Pakistan, the newly crowned No 1 ODI team, enter a critical phase of their white-ball cricket history as they aim to cement their status as the top limited-overs team.
Wednesday marks the opening day of the Asia Cup 2023 tournament that will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. And while the 50-over series has turned into a preparatory event for the ODI World Cup in India in October-November, it is significant in its own right.
The tournament has become the playing ground for one of the most intense rivalries in the sport, and we not talking about just India v Pakistan.
Afghanistan v Pakistan and Sri Lanka v Bangladesh is where is the real action is now, with plenty of recent history of player skirmishes, fan unrest and genuine mistrust between sides.
The tournament will also serve as an opportunity for all teams involved to finalise their plans for the World Cup in sub-continent conditions and against teams most suited for it.
So, can Pakistan preserve their status as the top-ranked ODI team?
Can Pakistan lose No 1 ranking?
It has not even been a week since Pakistan rose to the top of the ODI rankings, overtaking Australia after their 3-0 series win over Afghanistan. But so small are the margins, Babar Azam’s team could soon lose their status.
Pakistan are favourites to beat Nepal in the opening game of the Asia Cup in Multan on Wednesday. Their focus will then shift to the much-awaited clash against India, who are ranked third in ODIs.
If Pakistan lose to India in Kandy on Saturday, they will slip below Australia in the ODI rankings according to the ICC rankings predictor.
Even so, they will then only be one point behind the top-ranked Aussies, which means more wins in the latter stages of the Asia Cup could push them back to the top.
Asia Cup 2022 team of the tournament
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1. Mohammed Rizwan (Pakistan) His go-slow in the final might have cost his side, but he was a pillar of reliability until then, and the tournament’s leading run-scorer. AFP -
2. Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) Scored slightly less runs than his opening partner, Pathum Nissanka, but at a faster rate. Together they infused their side with belief. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
3. Virat Kohli (India) Hit the lone century of the competition, and only Rizwan managed more runs overall. The King is back. AFP -
4. Suryakumar Yadav (India) Gave the start of the tournament its most thrilling sight, when he laced 68 not out in 23 balls against Hong Kong. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
5. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka) Proving that “Rajapaksa” is not always a dirty word. He played the seminal innings of the final, with his counter-punching 71 not out. AP -
6. Mohammed Nawaz (Pakistan) Played almost the perfect match in Pakistan’s win over India, with a fine spell with the ball, a crucial cameo with the bat, and three brilliant catches. AP -
7. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) The player of the tournament applied the coup de grace in the final, with three wickets in an over to start the party. AFP -
8. Shadab Khan (Pakistan) Apologised to fans for his two dropped catches in the final, but few had done more than him to ensure Pakistan reached that point. AP -
9. Haris Rauf (Pakistan) The tournament was denied one stellar headline act with Shaheen Afridi’s absence, but the sight of a rampaging Rauf and Naseem Shah made up for it. AFP -
10. Mujeeb ur Rahman (Afghanistan) The most miserly bowler out of anyone who sent down any significant number of overs in the tournament, with an economy rate of 5.5. AFP -
11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) The leading wicket-taker in the competition, which he signed off with his remarkable five for four against Afghanistan. AFP
Asia Cup 2023 schedule
August 30: Pakistan v Nepal, Multan
August 31: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Kandy
September 2: India v Pakistan, Kandy
September 3: Bangladesh v Afghanistan, Lahore
September 4: India v Nepal, Kandy
September 5: Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Lahore
September 6: Super 4 - A1 v B2, Lahore
September 9: B1 v B2, Colombo
September 10: A1 v A2, Colombo
September 12: A2 v B1, Colombo
September 14: A1 v B1, Colombo
September 15: A2 v B2 Colombo
September 17: Final, Colombo (September 18 reserve day)
Note: All matches start 1.30pm UAE time. India, Pakistan and Nepal in Group A; Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Group B.
How to watch Asia Cup 2023 in the UAE
The tournament will be shown live on CricLife Max on the STARZPLAY app in the UAE.
