COLOMBO: The Pakistan squad landed in Colombo on Thursday for their second Asia Cup 2023 group match against arch-rivals India. The team reached Colombo on a chartered flight and then travelled to Kandy by road.
The green shirts will rest today before hitting the nets on Friday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium from 6 p.m. to train for the much-anticipated match of the Asia Cup. Beforehand, a squad member will hold the pre-match press conference.
The arch-rivals Pakistan and India will face each other on September 2 in the second Group-A match.
The Asian Giants will come face to face again on September 10 in Colombo if both manage to qualify for the Super 4s.
Pakistan kicked off their Asia Cup campaign with a 238-run victory over the debutant Nepal in the opening game of the tournament.
Pakistan’s bowling unit decimated Nepal in the second innings after captain Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed scored centuries to set a mammoth 342 runs total in the first innings.
It must be noted that despite being hosts Pakistan will host only a total of four matches including a Super 4s fixture.
India’s group stage matches including the anticipated clash against Pakistan, scheduled on September 2, will be held in Kandy while the rest of the Super 4s matches, including the final will be played in Colombo.
Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and co-hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir
