Virat gears up for Asia Cup 2023, shares his "Happy place" in Insta story

NEW DELHI: After ending the tour of the West Indies, India's star batter Virat Kohli started preparing for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 beginning on August 30 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Virat hit the gym to gear up for the tournament. He shared an Instagram story where he is enjoying his time in the gym.

India have yet to announce their squad for the tournament but many players have started their preparation. The tournament will follow a hybrid model, with four matches to be hosted by Pakistan and all of India's matches and a total of nine fixtures taking place in the Emerald Isle.

India is in Group A, which also have Pakistan and Nepal, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. The tournament will kick off with a clash between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan, Pakistan. India will start their campaign against Pakistan on September 2, in Kandy. They will be playing their second group stage match at the same venue against Nepal on September 4.

Matches in the Super Four stage will start on September 6, with a clash between the A1 and B2 sides in the respective groups, at Lahore. The rest of the matches will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka. On September 17, the final will be held in Colombo. The tournament will be held in a 50-over format, keeping in mind the ICC Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted in India from October 5 to November 19.

Sri Lanka are the defending Asia Cup champions, having won the title last year. They have won a total of six titles. India have been the most successful team in the tournament's history, with a total of 7 titles.