Pakistan and Sri Lanka will face off in a makeshift Asia Cup semi-final on Thursday evening after India booked their spot in the tournament finale.
India, who will host next month’s World Cup, toppled Sri Lanka by 41 runs in Colombo on Tuesday, ensuring they’ll finish in top two of the Super 4 stage of the 50-over competition.
The result sets up a must-win contest between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the winner qualifying for Sunday’s final at R Premadasa Stadium. If the match ends as a washout, Sri Lanka will progress due to their superior net run rate – there is currently no reserve day.
Both nations are coming off impressive ODI form, with Sri Lanka registering 13 consecutive wins before Tuesday’s loss to India. Meanwhile, Pakistan has only lost two of their 11 most recent ODIs, including four consecutive wins over New Zealand.
Elsewhere, India and Bangladesh will be playing for pride when they face off in a dead rubber at R Premadasa Stadium on Friday evening.
India has won the 50-over Asia Cup a record seven times, while Sri Lanka and Pakistan have lifted the trophy five and two times respectively.
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FIXTURES
Thursday, September 14, 7.30pm, Colombo – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
Friday, September 15, 7.30pm, Colombo – India vs Bangladesh
Sunday, September 17, 7.30pm, Colombo – Asia Cup final, India vs TBC
Monday, September 18, 7.30pm, Colombo – Asia Cup final reserve day (if required)
All times AEST
HOW TO WATCH
Every match of the 2023 Asia Cup can be watched live and exclusive on Fox Cricket (Channel 501) and streamed on Kayo Sports.
COLOMBO WEATHER
Thursday, September 14 – cloudy with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm, 31 degrees
Friday, September 15 – mostly cloudy with a couple of thunderstorms around, 31 degrees
Saturday, September 16 – periods of clouds and sun with widely separated thunderstorms, 32 degrees
Sunday, September 17 – clouds and sunshine; a thundershower in spots in the morning followed by a couple of thunderstorms around in the afternoon, 31 degrees
From AccuWeather
SQUADS
Pakistan
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve)
India
Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve)
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Sri Lanka
Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vc), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan
