Beginning play on February 24 in Bangkok, the ACC Challenger Cup is the first competition in the ACC’s extensive NEW 50-over pathway structure.
The competition pits the hosts Thailand against fellow Asian Associates Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Iran, as well as EAP invitees Indonesia, for two spots in the ACC Premier Cup qualifiers in April. It is the first step on the new Asia Cup qualification ladder.
Each team competes in one round robin as eight teams are divided into two groups of four teams each. Group A’s opponents are Bahrain, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Iran, while Group B’s opponents are Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Myanmar. In order to determine qualification, the top two teams from each group advance to the crossover semifinals. Each semi-victor final’s advances to the Premier Cup to play in the championship match.
Squads
Thailand: Akshaykumar Yadav (C), Daniel Jacobs, Chanchai Pengkumta, Jandre Coetzee, Chaloemwong Chatpaisan, Narawit Nuntarach, Phiriyaphong Suanchuai, Robert Raina, Vichanath Singh, Sittipong Hongsi, Nopphon Senamontree, Sorawat Desungnoen, Mahsid Faheem, Naveed Pathan
Bahrain: Haider Ali (C), Prashant Kurup, Sarfraz Ali, Imran Anwar, Sohail Ahmed, Ali Dawood, Ahmer Bin Nisar, Sathaiyah Veerapathiran, Junaid Aziz, Abdul Majid, Shahbaz Badar, Rizwan Butt, Abid Ullah, Zeeshan Abbas, Yasser Nazeer
Bhutan: Jigme Singye (C), Thinley Jamtsho, Manoj Adhikari, Suprit Pradhan, Tenzin Wangchuk, Ranjung Mikyo Dorji, Tenjin Ragbey, Namgay Thinley, Ngawang Thinley, Sonam Yeshey, Tashi Phuntsho, Tshering Penjor, Namgang Chojay and Gakul Kumar Ghalley
Maldives: Adam Nasif (C), Ahmed Ameel, Mohamed Rishwan, Ali Shunan, Mohamed Mahafooz, Ismail Nazwan, Hassan Haziq, Leem Shafeeq, Hassan Ibrahim, Ibrahim Rizan, Ibrahim Nashath, Shius Fareed, Mohamed Azzam, Ismail Ali
Iran, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia: TBA
At the ACC Premier Cup, which will be held in Nepal in late April, the Challenger Cup winners and runners-up will join eight other seasoned Associates, including ODI nations UAE, Nepal, and Oman as well as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Schedule for ACC Challenger CUP 2023
24th February, 9.30 local – Bahrain vs Bhutan, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
24th February, 9.30 local – Maldives vs Iran, AIT Ground, Bangkok
25th February, 9.30 local – Saudi Arabia vs Indonesia, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
25th February, 9.30 local – Thailand vs Myanmar, AIT Ground, Bangkok
26th February, 9.30 local – Bahrain vs Maldives, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
26th February, 9.30 local – Bhutan vs Iran, AIT Ground, Bangkok
27th February, 9.30 local Saudi Arabia vs Thailand, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
27th February, 9.30 local – Indonesia vs Myanmar, AIT Ground, Bangkok
28th February, 9.30 local Maldives vs Bhutan, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
28th February, 9.30 local – Iran vs Bahrain, AIT Ground, Bangkok
1st March, 9.30 local – Thailand vs Indonesia, Terdthai CG, Bangkok
1st March, 9.30 local -Saudi Arabia vs Myanmar, AIT Ground, Bangkok
3rd March, 9.30 local -Semi Final 1, Terdthai CG; Semifinal 2, AIT Ground
5th March, 9.30 local – Final
