Cricket is one of the most famous games around the world. Especially popular in Southeast Asia, the sport has gathered over 2 billion fans worldwide. It is the most popular sport in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and enjoys quite a large following in England, where it is a national sport, Australia and New Zealand as well.
Next to football, cricket is the world’s most popular sport. As we said, the game is particularly popular in Asia, so it is not surprising that the Asia Cup is one of the biggest draws in the world of cricket. The only continental championship in the cricket world, the Asia Cup is the biggest cricket event. While usually held every two years, the next even will be held in 2023.
Betting on the Asia Cup
As the biggest event in one of the world’s most popular sports, it isn’t surprising that the Asia Cup is a huge draw for bettors. Cricket fans from all over the world tune in, hoping to catch the intensely-close games held during the Asia Cup. And many of these fans like to place a bet now and again.
Of course, as the world’s most popular sport, cricket gets thorough and extensive coverage by bookies. If we were to take a look at the cricket betting sites available in India, we would find a lot of excellent options, odds, and promotions. Unsurprisingly, as cricket is, as we stated previously, India’s favorite pastime.
The Asia Cup 2023
While usually held every two years, the Asia Cup’s 16th iteration will be held in 2023. Six teams will participate in a One Day International tournament, and the event will take place in Pakistan. The reason the event has been moved up from 2024, is so it can serve as a preamble to the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which is scheduled to happen in October of 2023.
As the hosts, Pakistan automatically qualify for the tournament. The rest of the qualified teams are Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. The tournament requires six teams, the last of which will be decided during the 2023 Men’s Premier Cup held between 18 April and 1 May in Nepal.
Asia Cup 2023 Format
On 5 January, the ICC officially announced the tournament’s format. The six teams will be separated into two groups of three. Each group will participate in six matches, with one last game determining the winner. So, fans have a total of 13 games to look forward to. Let’s take a look at the teams and their placements within certain groups.
- Group A
So far, only two teams have been placed in Group A. Pakistan, the hosts, will compete in the first group against India and a team which is yet to be determined. As we said, the winner of the 2023 Men’s Premier Cup will serve as the third member of Group A.
- Group B
Group B is filled out. The defending champions, Sri Lanka will be competing against Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the second group. After six matches, we will see who competes in the finals of the 2023 Asia Cup.
Important Dates for the Asia Cup 2023
The exact date for the tournament has yet to be announced. However, we know that the games will take place somewhere in September. After all, the event was moved up specifically to serve as the opening for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
For those who aren’t aware, the latest iteration of the Cricket World Cup will begin on 5 October, and end on 19 November. Meaning, one of cricket’s most notable and prestigious events will last for over a month. It is an excellent opportunity for prospective fans to get into cricket, and learn more about the game.
Another event worth taking note of is the Men’s Premier Cup. The winner of the Men’s Premier Cup will fill out the final slot in the Asia Cup tournament. So, for those who want to know, from 18 April until 1 May, the Premier Cup is likely Cricket’s most important event. The tournament will be hosted in Nepal, and see 10 teams compete in 24 matches.
Predictions Regarding the Asia Cup 2023
In 2022, the winner of the Asia Cup was Sri Lanka. The team have had a pretty good year, and are currently ranked 8th in both the One Day International (ODI) format, as well as the Twenty20 International (T20I) format. Out of the countries competing in the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka hold the third-best ranking.
The definite favorites are India. According to the International Cricket Council’s rankings, the Indian team is the uncontested best in T20I, topping some of the best in the world, like England, Pakistan, and Australia. However, teams will play in the ODI format at the Asia Cup, in which India is also ranked rather high. They hold the second spot, under Australia. However, they still hold the highest rank of the competing countries.
As the hosts Pakistan have a pretty good chance at a victory. The country has produced some of the best players in the realm of cricket, such as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, and many more. They also hold quite a high rank in terms of ODI, being ranked fifth in the world, and second in Asia. In T20I, the Pakistani team is ranked third, behind only England (2nd) and India (1st).
So far, the odds are on an Indian victory. However, the underdog teams have been known to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. It is yet too early to say who will dominate the Asia Cup 2023. So, let’s just wait patiently for the tournament’s arrival.
Conclusion
For anyone interested in cricket, we hope that this article has been informative. The Asia Cup is one of cricket’s most prestigious tournaments, and the only continental championship that the game has. For long-time fans, the Asia Cup is a well-known event. For newbies, it is the perfect place to start. So, excitement is certainly high.
