Cricket is one of the most important sports in the world today. The game has drawn over 2 billion fans worldwide, most of which come from Southeast Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Asia has a very vibrant cricket culture, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Asia Cup.
What is the Asia Cup?
The Asian Cricket Council Asia Cup, more commonly called the Asia Cup is an annual tournament which takes place in Asia. Several Asian countries compete in games of cricket, altering between T20I and One Day International every two years.
The Asia Cup was first held in 1984, as a measure to promote sportsmanship and friendliness between various Asian countries. Originally, it was held every two years. However, due to its massive popularity, the Asia Cup quickly became an annual event.
The 2022 Asia Cup
The 2022 Asia Cup was held in the United Arab Emirates, and drew in a ton of new fans. Played in the Twenty20 format, the last iteration of the Asia Cup was among the most betted on events of 2022, next to the FIFA World Cup and the Super Bowl. Which should give you an idea of just how super popular T20 Asia Cup betting is.
The success of the tournament has attracted a lot more people than ever. Which is why, a lot more people might be tuning in to the 2023 iteration of the Asia Cup. So, in this article, we would like to go over the upcoming iteration of the sports event, and discuss everything you need to be aware of.
The Time and Place
First thing is first, you need to know where and when the 2023 Asia Cup is taking place. The latest iteration of the cricket tournament is going to start in September 2023. Usually, the event lasts for around two weeks. However, the ending date of the 2023 Cup has not been announced.
The game will be hosted in Pakistan. Next to India, Pakistan has one of the most successful cricket teams in Asia. If we look at the T20I rankings, we will find Pakistan is ranked among the top three. So, the Pakistani team are certainly a force to be reckoned with. And speaking of teams…
The Teams to Watch for
Sri Lanka are the defending champions, who won the 2022 Asia Cup. Many sportsbooks and fans have named them one of the top three teams to keep an eye on this year as well. Bangladesh and Pakistan are also quite a force to be reckoned with, and they will certainly present quite a challenge for any opponents that they face against.
However, the team to really watch out for is definitely India’s. According to the International Cricket Council, India is ranked number one in the T20 rankings, number three in the One Day International rankings, and second in the Test format. In all three formats, they are the top-ranked Asian cricket team. Definitely ones to keep in mind when placing bets on the Asia Cup.
The Format
We should also explain the format of the tournament. As we said before, the Asia Cup’s format changes every two years. The past two iterations have been played in the T20 format, meaning that in the 2023 Asia Cup, the teams will be playing One Day International. Before 2015, the Asia Cup’s games were all played in the ODI format, so this year we are returning to tradition.
The Lineup
Finally, let us look at the six teams that will be competing in the Asia Cup in 2023. The teams are decided based on their performances, membership in the ICC, and how well they did in the 2023 Men’s Premier Cup. Thus far, only five teams have been decided. These are the following:
- Pakistan
- India
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- Sri Lanka
