The Indian cricket team has touched down in Colombo on Wednesday, August 30, marking the beginning of their much-awaited Asia Cup 2023 journey. Cricket fans are eagerly anticipating the opening clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, scheduled for September 2, promising an enthralling contest between the two powerhouses.
As the Indian players arrived at Colombo airport, star batsman Virat Kohli and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were seen engaged in animated conversation. In the meantime, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, pacer Mohammed Shami, and head coach Rahul Dravid were spotted sharing light-hearted moments, setting a positive tone for the team.
Team India arrive in Sri Lanka
However, the Indian team will be without the services of key batter KL Rahul in their initial two matches of the Asia Cup campaign. KL Rahul, currently recovering from an injury, will remain under the watchful care of the National Cricket Academy until September 4.
Rahul’s progress is encouraging, as confirmed by Rahul Dravid in a press conference, “He (KL Rahul) had a good week with us, he is progressing well on the route that we want to take, but he will be unavailable for the first part of the Kandy leg of the trip. The NCA will be looking after him while we are travelling. We will reassess him on the fourth (September 4) and we will take it from there. The signs are good and he is progressing well.”
The Asia Cup 2023 features Pakistan, India, and Nepal in Group A, while Group B consists of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. This unique hybrid tournament model will see Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues, with Sri Lanka hosting the remaining games.
The Super Fours stage is set to commence on September 6, following the group-stage matches. The grand finale is scheduled for September 17 in Colombo, where the top two teams from the Super Four stage will battle it out for the prestigious trophy.
As the Indian team embarks on their Asia Cup journey, the excitement and anticipation from fans across the globe are reaching new heights. All eyes will be on the team as they look to make a strong start in this highly competitive tournament.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
