On Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the 16-man Indian cricket team squad for the upcoming 2018 Asia Cup, starting from September 15.
The 14th edition of Asia Cup cricket will be played in ODI format in United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the third time for UAE to host Asia Cup, after the inaugural edition in 1984 and the fifth edition in 1995. The matches will be played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai) and Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium (Abu Dhabi).
In 2018 Asia Cup, six teams will participate. The six teams are – six-time champions (including the T20 format) India, five-time champions Sri Lanka, two-time champions Pakistan, two-time runners-up Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the champion of the ongoing Qualifier. The arch-rivals India and Pakistan are seeded in the Group A along with the Qualifier while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will fight in the Group B.
The 2018 Asia Cup will kick-off on September 15 with the match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. India will play their both group matches in consecutive days on September 18 and 19. The 2016 T20 Asia Cup champions India will meet against Pakistan in the Group Stages on September 19.
ALSO READ: Virat Kohli To Miss Asia Cup, Rohit Sharma To Lead
The final Group Stages match will be played on September 20 between Bangladesh and Afghanistan. At the end of the Group Stages, top two teams from each Group will qualify for the Super Four where each team will play against all other teams once from September 21 to 26. It means once again each team will play with their one Group Stages team during the Super Four round.
The top two teams in the final points table will advance for the final that will be played on September 28 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai).
Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been rested in the Asia Cup tournament while the limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma will lead the squad in the tournament. Meanwhile, Sharma’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan has been appointed for the vice-captain role in the upcoming continental tournament. The 20-year-old left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed has earned his maiden international call-up as he has been named in the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Indian full member Squad for Asia Cup 2018:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Khaleel Ahmed.
Virat Kohli has been rested from Asia Cup 2018. So no Amir vs Kohli this year. #AsiaCup
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 1, 2018
Congratulations @ImRo45 for becoming captain of indian cricket team for asia cup tournament all the best for upcoming #AsiaCup2018 tournaments
— संजीव शर्मा (@SanjeevINC) September 1, 2018
What more #MayankAgarwal has to do to get in Indian Cricket Team ? @BCCI your selectors are Joke!
— Anai Komagan (AK) (@AnaiKomagan) September 1, 2018
No Virat Kohli? Lol yup! Last time he faced us he got out TWICE in 2 balls! ….. is dafa taangain to kaampni thi stud boy ki. Acha hai confidence pe dent na paray. Rest kerwao boy ko.
— CBA – Arslan (@ComicsByArslan) September 1, 2018
Reaction of Pakistani Cricket fans when they heard Virat Kohli will not be playing in Asia Cup 2018. pic.twitter.com/XipAxhnqRU
— PhD in Bakchodi (@Atheist_Krishna) September 1, 2018
Congratulations @imK_Ahmed on your maiden #TeamIndia call-up for the Asia Cup 2018 👏 pic.twitter.com/aRIFycGiOR
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) September 1, 2018
Virat Rested And Rohit Captain It's Ok
Rayudu Selected It's Ok
But Why Raina Drop From Squad and Manish Select
Why Why— Niranjan BiswalDhoni (@niradhoni) September 1, 2018
— prem (@prem871879) September 1, 2018
#AsiaCup
I was Waiting to see Virat Vs Amir since the lost of Champions trophy
Bt i have to wait till world cup now
as Kohli is rested from Asia Cup 2018— Rish@bh (@rishabh1123) September 1, 2018
Congratulations Khaleel Ahmed @imK_Ahmed
Young Indian cricketer
Selected for the Asia Cup 2018— Mohsin Khan Attari (@IamMohsinAttari) September 1, 2018
1ST ROHIT I love you 😘😘
You have been appointed captain for Asia Cup 2018!!!Huge Huge Huge Congratulations 💋💋❤❤❤!! Your Thoughts??? #AskRo— Nidhi Tiwari 🇮🇳 (@cricgirl_Nidhi) September 1, 2018
