What do we know about the 2023 Asia Cup?

Cricket fans have much to look forward to in 2023. As well as the regular domestic competitions of the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Indian Premier League (IPL), there are also annual international events like the Ashes and various Test series. However, it's towards the latter half of the year when things really begin to hot up, as the Asia Cup sets the stage for the World Cup.

So what do we know about the 2023 Asia Cup so far? Originally scheduled to take place in 2020, the tournament has been delayed several times due to Covid-19 upheaval and scheduling clashes. However, we finally have a date in the book for the competition to take place – though some details remain uncertain. Here's what we know so far.

It will take place in September

After a delay of three years, the 2023 Asia Cup has finally been earmarked for September of this year. Although the exact dates have not been confirmed, many fans will be rubbing their hands in anticipation.

The venue remains unclear

The competition was originally scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka. However, after it was delayed until 2023, the decision was made to gift Sri Lanka hosting rights for the 2022 edition and install Pakistan as the home nation in 2023.

That seemed to be a satisfactory solution to the problem – until the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the Indian team would not travel to Pakistan due to political tensions between the two countries. Pakistan responded by calling for an emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), hinting that Pakistan might be forced to revise its participation in the India-hosted World Cup later in the year as a result.

Nonetheless, both teams were announced as official entrants by the ACC in January 2023 and, at the moment, it looks as though Pakistan will indeed serve as the venue.

5 of 6 teams have already qualified

The five permanent members of the ACC qualify for the Asia Cup by default, which means that it will feature India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The sixth and final participant will be decided through the ACC Men's Premier Cup, which will take place from 24^th April to 8^th May in Nepal. A total of 10 teams (Nepal, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman and Singapore) will duke it out for the right to qualify for the Asia Cup 2023.

India vs Pakistan

Although not all qualifiers have been determined, the groups have already been drawn – and there's a mouth-watering tie in the pipeline between India and Pakistan in Group A. The neighbouring rivals will be joined by the winner of the ACC Men's Premier Cup, while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in the other group. The top two teams will advance to the Super Six

The competition will be more accessible to fans than ever

The 13 games of the 2023 Asia Cup will be streamed online and on television for fans inside Asia and further afield, meaning everyone will have an opportunity to watch the action unfold.

What's more, those who like to enhance their enjoyment further by laying a wager will also experience better accessibility, since Bitcoin can now be used for T20 Asia Cup and ODI Asia Cup matches. The introduction of cryptocurrency offers a whole host of advantages, from increased anonymity and security to faster processing times and more lucrative odds.

Will you tune in for the Asia Cup next year? Who has your backing? Let us know in the comments section below.