As the Asia Cup tournament is approaching it has already started to gather the banter between some of the epic clashes fans are eagerly waiting to see. Meanwhile, the official commentary panel for the Asia Cup tournament has been announced and Ravi Shastri is one of the five Indians who will be seen doing the commentary in the tournament while the other four are Sanjay Manjrekar, Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, and Deep Dasgupta.
The 2023 Asia Cup, set to commence on August 30, has unveiled its impressive lineup of commentators. Among the distinguished names leading the commentary panel are Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram. Shastri is part of the five-member Indian contingent, which includes Sanjay Manjrekar, Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, and Deep Dasgupta. Akram is joined by his longstanding partner Waqar Younis, along with fellow countrymen Ramiz Raja and Bazid Khan.
Completing the 12-member roster are Bangladesh’s Athar Ali Khan, Sri Lanka’s Russel Arnold, and New Zealand’s Scott Styris. This ensemble of commentators maintains a familiar composition from the previous edition of the tournament in 2022, with Raja and Bazid being the newest additions.
The forthcoming 13-match tournament, a precursor to the imminent ODI World Cup, will adopt a 50-over format. Six teams will be split into two groups of three each: Group A comprises India, Pakistan, and Nepal, while Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super4s stage, culminating in a final showdown between the top two teams.
Scheduled to take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the tournament’s location underwent adjustments due to India’s decision not to travel to Pakistan, citing strained political relations between the two nations. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) approved a hybrid model proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Sri Lanka emerged as the neutral host for India’s matches following prolonged deliberations.
The tournament’s Pakistani leg will unfold in Multan and Lahore. Multan is the stage for the opening match between Pakistan and Nepal on August 30. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will witness two league games and a Super4 encounter on September 3, 5, and 6, respectively. Sri Lanka will host the remaining nine matches, with Pallekele and Colombo selected as the venues – three in Pallekele and six in Colombo.
Asia Cup 2023 Commentary panel
Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Deep Dasgupta, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, Bazid Khan, Athar Ali Khan, Russel Arnold, Scott Styris.
Full Fixtures list
Group A – Pakistan (A1), India (A2), and Nepal (Nepal will take the position of the side, which fails to progress to the Super-4 stage)
Group B – Sri Lanka (B1), Bangladesh (B2), and Afghanistan (Afghanistan will take the position of the side, which fails to progress to the Super-4 stage)
August 30: Pakistan vs Nepal in Multan
August 31: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka in Kandy
September 2: Pakistan vs India in Kandy
September 3: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan in Lahore
September 4: India vs Nepal in Kandy
September 5: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka in Lahore
September 6: Pakistan/Afghanistan vs Bangladesh/Afghanistan in Lahore (Super 4)
September 9: Sri Lanka/Afghanistan vs Bangladesh/Afghanistan in Colombo (Super 4)
September 10: India/Nepal vs Pakistan/Nepal in Colombo (Super 4)
September 12: India/Nepal vs Sri Lanka/Afghanistan in Colombo (Super 4)
September 15: India/Nepal vs Bangladesh/Afghanistan in Colombo (Super 4)
September 17: FINAL, Colombo
Comments 2