The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Wednesday (July 19) unveiled the schedule for the 2023 edition of Asia Cup, slated to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.

For the continental event, India and Pakistan are slotted in Group A and the arch-rivals are due to square off on September 2 in Kandy.

If the two teams qualify for the Super-4 stage, they will lock horns again on September 10 in Colombo while reaching the final would put them against each other for the third time in the competition.

Speaking before the second Test against West Indies, India head coach Rahul Dravid said he would approach the tournament one step at a time and mentioned that playing Pakistan in the final would be a “great contest”.

“The schedule is out and you have to qualify for the Super4s to play Pakistan three times, so one step at a time. I don’t believe in counting my chickens too much. I want to play one game at a time,” Dravid quoted as saying in a video posted by BCCI on Twitter.

“We know we have to play Pakistan and Nepal in the first two games, we need to focus on that, we need to play good cricket, we need to win those games and then see where the tournament goes. If we get the opportunity to play them three times, I think that is fantastic, that means we reach the final of the tournament and hopefully Pakistan reach the final as well.”

“That will be a great contest and great for us and we certainly aim to do that, we certainly want to play right up to the final and win that final but we have to take the first two steps before,” he added.

The six participating teams have been divided into two groups for the Asia Cup 2023. While India, Pakistan and Nepal are placed in Group A, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka form Group B.

The top two teams each group will qualify for the Super-4 stage. The top two sides from the Super-4 stage will then face off in the final.