The 2023 Asia Cup Cricket tournament will take place in Pakistan from September 2 to 17. The event will feature 6 teams, and they will compete in the One Day International (ODI) format. It is considered the preparatory series leading up to the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The five full members of the Asian Cricket Council, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will join the tournament. This year, Nepal will also play in the Asia Cup as they qualified by winning the 2023 ACC Men's Premier Cup. On January 9, 2023, the tournament's groups and format were unveiled, dividing the six teams into two groups of three each. Bangladesh is in Group B along with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. We will look at Group B's prospects in Asia Cup 2023. Analysis of Group B Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka will play in Group B at the 2023 Asia Cup. These three teams are ICC's full members. Hence, they did not need to go through qualifying. Sri Lanka will join the tournament as defending champions. Sri Lanka appeared 13 times in the Asia Cup and won six times, becoming the second most successful team. They delivered incredible performance in the 2022 Asia Cup. The Lankans were unstoppable throughout the tournament. However, a 105-run loss against Afghanistan in the opening match was the only dissatisfaction. After that, in the rest of the matches, the opponents did not get any chance to beat Sri Lanka. In the final match, they defeated Pakistan by 23 runs to take home the 6th title. They were not much stronger than their opponents, but their dedication helped them win the tournament. Read more: U-19 ODIs: Pakistan take series 4-1 with 80-run victory over Bangladesh However, this year, Sri Lanka is struggling in the ODI format as they lost most of the ODI series in the last couple of years. Also, they are having a bad time in ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League too. So far, they won only 7 matches out of 24. On the other hand, another group member Afghanistan is a bit stronger. This will be Afghanistan's third appearance. Afghanistan showed a pretty steady performance in the Asia Cup. They reached the super four twice in 2018 and 2022. The Afghans have been very consistent in recent ODI performances. They drew an ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2022. Before that, they won a series 3-0 against Zimbabwe. Furthermore, Afghanistan also played well in the ICC Super League. They won 11 ODIs out of 15 matches played and lost only three. So, in the ODI format of Asia Cup 2023, Afghanistan has a great chance to outperform the other two teams (Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) of Group B. However, among the three teams of Group B, Bangladesh is the favorite to become the group champion and proceed to Super Four. Bangladesh played some outstanding ODI series recently. For example, they beat India by 2-1 in December 2022. After that, they beat England in one ODI game. And, recently, Bangladesh won two series against Ireland. Considering these facts, Bangladesh might win both matches in the group stage. And Afghanistan might be the second team to proceed to the Super Four. Read more: Fizz in dream return bowls Tigers to series win against Ireland Bangladesh's Prospects in Asia Cup 2023 Bangladesh has appeared in 13 Asia Cups so far. However, the Tigers don't have many satisfactory outcomes; they are yet to win a tournament. The best were runners-up in 2012 and 2018. Bangladesh played 45 matches so far in the Asia Cup and won only 7, and lost 38 matches. So, Bangladesh's performance in the Asia Cup has been quite poor. But, this year, Bangladesh will join the tournament with a strong team. And the country has been preparing to give a good fight. And Bangladesh's most recent performances also portray their determination and dedication. Although we are over three months away from the Asia Cup Cricket 2023, Bangladesh's recent performances against Ireland, England, and India make them one of the top contenders. Bangladesh's 2-1 ODI series win against India in December 2022 is one of the top inspirations to perform better in the next matches. And we have seen improvements in the England and Ireland series. Tigers have shown incredible performances on the home ground as well as abroad. If the Bangladesh cricket team can continue its current performance, the county has a great chance to win the Asia Cup this year or at least they can reach the final. However, Bangladesh didn't play against Pakistan lately. So, they will need to analyze Pakistan's recent performance and playing style to find a way to beat them. Other than that, Bangladesh is well aware of other opponents such as India, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. Read More: Tigers dismissed for 274 as Ireland battle to tie series in 3rd ODI Final Words As a preparation for the ODI World Cup 2023, this year's Asia Cup will be held in the ODI format. It is expected that, in the upcoming Asia Cup Cricket 2023 tournament, Group B matches will be exciting as all three teams (Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka) have enough experience. Group A contains India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

Bangladesh's first victory in the Asia Cup Cricket came against Hong Kong in a group stage contest in the eighth edition of the tournament in Sri Lanka in 2004. Bangladesh have so far won 10 games in the competition, including ODI and T20 formats. With the fifteenth edition of the tournament about to kick off, let’s take a look at the Bangladesh men’s team’s five unforgettable victories in Asia Cup history. Bangladesh men’s team’s five memorable victories in Asia Cup cricket Since 2012, the Bangladesh national men’s cricket team started to win matches consistently in the Asia Cup Cricket competition.Nine out of their ten victories in the tournament’s history came in the previous four editions. Some of the triumphs were truly memorable ones for cricket fans. Let’s have a look at Bangladesh’s five outstanding victories in the Asia Cup. Bangladesh vs India (2012 Asia Cup) Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets It was Bangladesh’s second match in the competition, and they had to overcome India in their quest for the final berth. Not many thought Bangladesh would be able to beat a very strong Indian side, especially after Sachin Tendulkar’s historic milestone. Read Asia Cup Cricket: India holds historical edge over Pakistan Sachin completed his 100th international century in the contest and guided India to 289/5. A confident Bangladesh side took an aggressive approach and chased down the target with 4 balls to spare. Shakib Al Hasan was named player of the match after scoring 49 runs in 31 balls. Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (2012 Asia Cup) Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets (D/L Method) Bangladesh would play in the final if they beat Sri Lanka, and that was the equation prior to the match. A revitalized Bangladesh squad was committed to beating the Lankan team, and they were successful in their mission. Sri Lanka made 232 after being asked to bat first. The Tigers chased down the revised target of 212 in 40 overs with 17 balls remaining for the loss of 5 wickets. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan once again played a vital role for his team. He won the player of the match award after taking two wickets and hitting 56 off 46 balls. Read Asia Cup Qualifier 2022: Which team is the favourite to qualify? Bangladesh vs Pakistan (2016 Asia Cup) Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets The 2016 Asia Cup was played in the Twenty20 format. Bangladesh had to defeat Pakistan in their last match of the group stage to get to the championship game against India. It was a low-scoring, tightly contested affair which eventually Bangladesh won by 5 wickets. The team Tigers chased down Pakistan’s 130 runs target with 5 balls to spare. Soumya Sarkar played a crucial 48 off 48 balls as an opener and won the player of the match award. Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (2018 Asia Cup) Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium  Result: Bangladesh won by 137 runs  Bangladesh’s match against Sri Lanka was the 2018 Asia Cup opener. It was one of the more memorable matches for the Tigers' cricket fans. Tamim Iqbal was applauded for his heroic decision to come out to bat with a broken finger after being injured early in the innings. He remained unbeaten for 2* but gave great support to Mushfiqur Rahim to go after the Lankan bowlers. Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament Mushfiqur went on to score 144 and set a 262-run target for Sri Lanka. Bangladesh eventually won the contest quite comfortably by 137 runs and made a strong start to the competition. For a magnificent century, Mushfiqur Rahim won player of the match. Bangladesh vs Pakistan (2018 Asia Cup) Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Result: Bangladesh won by 37 runs  The last fixture between Bangladesh and Pakistan in the Super Four round was a do-or-die contest in their quest for the final berth. Mushfiqur Rahim’s 99-run knock guided his side to put up a challenging 239-run on the board. Bangladesh did manage to beat Pakistan thanks to some quality bowling performances. Pakistan finished their innings at 202/9 in 50 overs and conceded a 37-run defeat. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur bagged 4 wickets, but Mushfiqur won the player of the match award for his outstanding knock. Bangladesh reached their third Asia Cup final in six years with this triumph. Read Asia Cup 2022 Group B Preview: Can Bangladesh Reach Super 4 Round? Aftermath The Bangladesh men's team had trouble competing in the early Asia Cup cricket competitions. The roaring tigers showcased their true potential to the cricketing world in the eleventh edition of the competition in 2012. Defeating two Asian powerhouses, India and Sri Lanka, in the group stage secured a spot in the final of the 2012 Asia Cup. Bangladesh Men's Cricket team's 5 outstanding victories in Asia Cup made the nation proud. Bangladesh made it to three finals in the previous four competitions, but failed to win any titles. However, no one can deny that the performances of Tigers' in the recent Asia Cup competitions were quite praiseworthy.

The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is one of the most fascinating and intense in the world. India and Pakistan have met many times against each other, and the latter has the best head-to-head record overall. However, India holds a slight advantage over Pakistan in the Asia Cup cricket. Let's take a deeper look at the history of the Asia Cup between India and Pakistan ahead of the fifteenth edition of the event in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan and India's overall performances in the men's Asia Cup cricket competition India has won the most events in the Asia Cup competition—seven in all. In contrast, Pakistan has only triumphed in two tournaments. Their most recent title came in 2012, when they defeated Bangladesh in the championship game by just two runs. India India first won an Asia Cup trophy in the inaugural edition of the competition in 1984. They are the reigning champions of the tournament. Overall, India has reached ten finals out of thirteen, which indicates how dominating they are in this particular tournament. They chose not to participate in the 1986 Asia Cup due to their tense cricketing relations with the tournament's host Sri Lanka. Additionally, the Indian team triumphed in the maiden Twenty20-format Asia Cup in 2016. Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament India's men's cricket team has won 31 of the 49 games it has played in the Asia Cup's ODI format, for a winning percentage of 65.62. In the tournament's Twenty20 format, India has won five of the five games. India’s overall results in the Asia Cup Year Host Results  1984 UAE Champions  1986 Sri Lanka DNP 1988 Bangladesh Champions 1990/1991 India Champions 1995 UAE Champions 1997 Sri Lanka Runner-Up 2000 Bangladesh Third 2004 Sri Lanka Runner-Up 2008 Pakistan Runner-Up 2010 Sri Lanka Champions 2012 Bangladesh Third 2014 Bangladesh Third 2016 Bangladesh Champions 2018 UAE Champions   Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cup Read Shakib Al Hasan: Expectations from Bangladesh’s T20 captain in Asia Cup 2022 Pakistan Pakistan first won an Asia Cup trophy in the seventh edition in 2000 in Bangladesh. They beat Sri Lanka in the final by 39 runs to clinch their maiden Asia Cup men’s cricket trophy. Twelve years later, in Bangladesh, they won their second trophy at the Asian Cup of cricket. Surprisingly, Pakistan's national team has played only four finals and they haven’t reached a championship match since 2016. Due to tense political ties with the host India, Pakistan opted not to participate in the 1990–1991 edition of the competition. With a winning percentage of 59.09, Pakistan's men's cricket team has won 26 of the 45 games it has played in the Asia Cup's ODI format. They have won two out of four games in the Twenty20 format of the tournament. Pakistan’s overall results in the Asia Cup Year Host Results 1984 UAE Third 1986 Sri Lanka Runner-Up 1988 Bangladesh Third 1990/1991 India DNP 1995 UAE Third 1997 Sri Lanka Third 2000 Bangladesh Champions 2004 Sri Lanka Third 2008 Pakistan Third 2010 Sri Lanka Third 2012 Bangladesh Champions 2014 Bangladesh Runner-Up 2016 Bangladesh Third 2018 UAE Third    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cup Read Asia Cup 2022: SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh National Men’s T20 Cricket Squad Asia Cup: Head-to-Head Record between India and Pakistan  Every time Pakistan and India play in a cricket match, it is a euphoric and tense occasion for the supporters of the two sides. The Pakistan national men’s cricket team has the edge over India in the overall head-to-head battle across all formats with 87 wins. However, India’s national men’s cricket team has held the advantage in Asia Cup events. Two teams have faced each other fourteen times in this particular competition over the years. India has led the head-to-head contest with eight wins. Oppositely, Pakistan has five wins and one game had no result. In addition, India and Pakistan have never faced off in an Asia Cup final despite being the two biggest cricketing nations in the subcontinent. Asia Cup records between Pakistan and India Match Date Venue Result 13 April, 1984 Sharjah India won by 54 runs 31 October, 1988 Dhaka India won by 4 wickets 7 April, 1995 Sharjah Pakistan won by 97 runs 20 July, 1997 Colombo No Result 3 June, 2000 Dhaka Pakistan won by 44 runs 25 July, 2004 Colombo Pakistan won by 59 runs 26 June, 2008 Karachi India won by 6 wickets 2 July, 2008 Karachi Pakistan won by 8 wickets 19 June, 2010 Dambulla India won by 3 wickets 18 March, 2012 Dhaka India won by 6 wickets 2 March, 2014 Dhaka Pakistan won by 1 wicket 27 February, 2016 Dhaka India won by 5 wickets 19 September, 2018 Dubai India won by 8 wickets 23 September, 2018 Dubai India won by 9 wickets    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Cup Read Asia Cup 2022: Who are favourites to lift the trophy? How many times could India and Pakistan meet in the Asia Cup 2022? The group phase of the Asia Cup 2022 will begin on August 27 (Saturday). The competition consists of two groups, each with three teams. In Group A, Pakistan and India will compete. The third team in Group A will be the qualifier winner. Each group's top two teams will proceed to the Super Four phase. India and Pakistan's prospects of moving on from their group are merely formalities since the qualifier winner will be decided by the ICC associate nations of the Asian region. If Pakistan and India advance from Group A, they will play each other once again in the Super Four phase. The Super Four round's top two teams will be guaranteed a spot in the championship game. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka's Twenty20 teams are currently not in excellent form. None of these three teams are considered to have a strong chance of winning the competition. As a result, there is a good chance that India and Pakistan will face off three times during the main event. Cricket fans would be enthralled by the prospect of watching the Asia Cup 2022 final between Pakistan and India. If that occurs, this will be the first time in the tournament's history that these two countries have faced off in a final. Read T20s: Need to be like a baby learning to walk, says Shakib The dates on which India and Pakistan could meet in the Asia Cup 2022 Date: 28 August, 2022 | Group A match Date: 4 September, 2022 | Super Four match (if qualify) Date: 11 September, 2022 | Final (if qualify).  Which players would likely be seen in India and Pakistan’s playing XI? India and Pakistan both have some of the top Twenty20 players in their respective squads. The recent T20 performances of both teams have also been very impressive. Pakistan hasn't participated in a lot of T20I series following the T20 World Cup in 2021. After the major event, they defeated Bangladesh and the West Indies in all six of their games. Pakistan played just one T20 match this year. In April, they fell short against Australia in that T20 match. In that sense, the Pakistan Twenty20 team may find it difficult early in the 2022 Asia Cup competition. India can take advantage of this as they will play Pakistan in their opening encounter. India will enter the Asia Cup competition in excellent form, having won sixteen of their twenty-one games this year. They have won five bilateral series, while one with South Africa ended in a draw. The players who weren't picked are talented enough to be on the Indian team, so the selectors must have had a difficult time finalizing the squad. Here are the players from both sides who can make it into their respective playing XI. Read Meet Sridharan Sriram: Bangladesh national cricket team’s new T20 technical consultant India’s predicted playing XI Top-Order: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli,  Middle-Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin,  Lower-Order: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal  Pakistan’s predicted playing XI Top-Order: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Fakhar Zaman,  Middle-Order: Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Haider Ali, Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Nawaz,  Lower-Order: Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani  Aftermath India will be the overwhelming favourite to win the 2022 Asia Cup cricket due to their recent Twenty20 form and success over Pakistan in the tournament. India will enter the upcoming competition with a lot of confidence since Rohit Sharma is yet to lose a Twenty20 series after being named the team's permanent captain earlier this year.  Read Pakistan’s Afridi to miss T20 Asia Cup and England series Pakistan, on the other hand, has lost its last three Asia Cup matches against India and will be driven to turn things around. Pakistan, the ICC's third-ranked Twenty20 side right now, stands a decent chance of overcoming India and taking home the championship. So far we have discussed how did India prevail over Pakistan in the previous Asia Cup Cricket tournaments. Now its time to see how can Pakistan prevent India from capturing their eighth Asia Cup title?

After an executive board meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), it was decided that this year’s Asia Cup, which was scheduled on September, will now be postponed due to the unavoidable circumstances created by COVID-19 pandemic. ACC hopes the event will take place in June 2021.