Asia Cup 2018: Defending champions India will be taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on September 19 in Dubai, UAE. India vs Pakistan rivalry marks the most anticipated rivalries in cricket. But as per the schedule of the Asia Cup 2018, India will have to play back to back matches on 18th September and 19th September. Citing poor scheduling the former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag has asked India to boycott the Asia Cup.
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Sehwag expressed his shock over the fact that India will have to play back to back One Day Internationals on 18th September and 19th September. Sehwag slammed the scheduling of the Asia Cup and asked Kohli and his team to not play in the Asia Cup 2018. The Asia Cup which was played in the T20 format in 2016 is set to return to its traditional 50 overs format this year as it gets underway on 15th September 2018.
Both India and Pakistan are in Group A and they will be joined by a qualifying nation in their group. Group B consists of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The finals of the Aisa cup will be played on September 28 in Dubai. Asia Cup 2018 was to initially take place in India but due to simmering India-Pakistan relations, it was shifted to UAE.
Expressing his disgust at the poor scheduling Sehwag said that no team plays back to back ODIs these days. He said that there is usually a gap of two to three days before matches so how can a team play 50 over matches on consecutive games in the scorching heat of Dubai without a break. Sehwag said that India should not play the Asia Cup given the tough scheduling and should rather prepare for series at home or away.
India is the 6 times title winner in the Asian Cup and yet again Kohli and his men are the favourites to clinch the title for the 7th time. But will Kohli and his men accept the challenge to play on two consecutive days amid the harsh summers of Dubai?
