Asia Cup 2023: Team India announced for Asia Cup Squad, also see Pakistan-Bangladesh squad

Asia Cup: The Asia Cup 2023 is set to kick off on August 30th and culminate in the finals on September 17th. The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India has announced Team India’s Squad for the Asia Cup 2023. With the focus on the 2023 World Cup, this tournament holds immense significance. In light of these circumstances, selectors have chosen a formidable team for the Asia Cup. Leading this team will be Rohit Sharma.

Under the leadership of Ajit Agarkar, the Indian selection committee has declared a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup. Following a carefully conducted meeting in Delhi, the Indian team was revealed. This squad is graced by the presence of stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah, who has also been leading the Indian cricket team on their Ireland tour, returns to the team. Among the young talents, Shubman Gill and Krishna, the rising star, also secured their places in the squad.

Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal have already announced their squads for the Asia Cup. However, India took a cautious approach before finalizing their team. Ahead of their West Indies tour, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar was with the team, closely observing the players’ performances. He also held discussions with coach Rahul Dravid. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were not initially included due to their injuries, which led to the delay in the team announcement, as per sources.

After much anticipation, Rohit Sharma retains his captaincy for the team. While the Vice-Captaincy saw a tug-of-war between Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, the latter opted out, leaving Hardik to continue in his role. The squad boasts names like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav. The bowling department sees the return of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Prasidh Krishna, known as a ‘wild card,’ has also secured a place. In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav partners with Ashwin and Jadeja. Yuzvendra Chahal missed out this time. Stand-by player Sanju Samson and debutant Tilak Varma add depth to the team.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of India’s Asia Cup squad is the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas took a break from competitive cricket since March, while Rahul was outside the field since May. They are return will be a highlight of the tournament. With these strong players back in the middle order, India appears to be a formidable force, likely to make Sri Lanka’s journey in the tournament quite challenging. The squad announcement garnered mixed reactions from the netizens. Some expressed concern over the challenges of numbers four and five in the batting lineup, while others hailed Rahul and Shreyas’s comebacks. Nonetheless, some questioned the decision of keeping Suryakumar Yadav in the main squad while leaving out the struggling Suryakumar. This is the talented lineup representing India in the tournament.

India’s Asia Cup Squad 2023:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (Wicket-Keeper), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Varma,  Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishan Kishan (Wicket-Keeper), Shardul Thakur, Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna

Backup: Sanju Samson

Asia Cup 2023: Nepal Participating in Asia Cup for the First Time

Nepal finds itself placed in Group A alongside India and Pakistan. On the other hand, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are in Group B. This event will be played in a One Day International format, providing an opportunity for Asian teams to prepare before the 2023 ICC World Cup in India. India has won this tournament the most, with seven titles under their belt, while Sri Lanka has secured the championship six times. Sri Lanka is also the defending champion of the tournament. This competition marks Nepal’s debut presence in the Asia Cup.

Asia Cup 2023: The tournament’s first match will be held in Multan.

Tournament Divided into Two Groups with Six Teams Each The tournament has been divided into two groups, each containing six teams. In Group A, we have India, host Pakistan, and Nepal. Meanwhile, Group B consists of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. The opening match between Pakistan and Nepal is set to take place in Multan on August 30th. Similarly, the first match on Sri Lankan soil will be between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on August 31st in Kandy. The Indian team will be playing all their matches in Sri Lanka.

Asia Cup 2023: India-Pakistan Action on 2nd September

The Indian team will play their first match against Pakistan on September 2nd in Kandy. Following that, on September 4th, they will face Nepal on the same ground. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage, and from there, the top two teams will proceed to the finals. This edition of the Asia Cup will feature 50-over matches. Teams have the perfect chance to perfect their World Cup preparations at this time.

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Pakistan Asia Cup Squad 2023:

Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan(Vice-Captain), Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.

Bangladesh Asia Cup Squad 2023:

Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Liton Das, Tanzeed Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tauheed Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehdi Hasan Miraj, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmood, Sheikh Mahedi, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shorful Islam , Abadot Hussain, Mohd. Naeem.

Nepal Asia Cup Squad 2023:

Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Asif Sheikh (wk), Bhim Sharkey, Kushal Malla, Arif Sheikh, Deepender Singh Airey, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Shyam Dhakal, Sandeep Zora, Kishore Mahto and Arjun Saud