With the 16th edition of the Asia Cup around the corner, here we look at some interesting facts and figures regarding the continental showpiece:

Spin bowler Lamichhane, 23, once the poster boy for the rise of cricket in Nepal, is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in a Kathmandu hotel room in August last year. Lamichhane denies all charges

They have made a few changes to the side that faced Pakistan in the recently concluded three-game ODI series. Azmatullah Omarzai and Wafadar Momand miss out on Asia Cup selections. Omarzai had coped a side strain in the series against Pakistan

Opening batter Liton Das will not be part of the Bangladesh contingent that flies to Sri Lanka today for the Asia Cup due to fever, confirmed Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Cricket Operations committee chairman Jalal Younus.

Shakib had been unable to take part in the Tigers' two-week training camp since he was busy playing Global T20 League in Canada and Lanka Premier League. The 36-year-old was seen in Mirpur but did not participate in the practise game on the last day on Thursday.

Despite not being completely out of runs, the manner of Liton's dismissals over the past few months have been a concern for the Bangladesh team management. With major tournaments such as Asia Cup and the World Cup to come, Liton's form is a big area of dependency for the Tigers as a strong start from the top-order is required when wickets favour batters.

Middle-order batter Saud Shakeel has been added to Pakistan's Asia Cup squad with Tayyab Tahir named as the travelling reserve

The Nidahas Trophy, where Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in a tempestuous encounter to move into the final, has been a talking point in South Asian cricket since 2018, and Hathurusingha was the coach of the Lankan team at that time, having just defected from the Bangladesh dugout. But the coach simply brushed aside any notion of any lingering rivalry

That would prove a huge boost for Pakistan on the eve of this year's 50-over showcase, with Babar's side among the favourites to claim a second World Cup title in India this year.

Bangladesh will play two official warm-up games in Guwahati before starting their ICC World Cup campaign against Afghanistan on October 7.

Nepal's cricket squad on Tuesday headed to Pakistan for the ODI Asia Cup without its star spin bowler, who must stay home to stand trial for alleged rape, officials said.

Bangladesh fast bowler Ebadot Hossain has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka due to a knee injury. The national selection panel of BCB has named uncapped pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib as Ebadot’s replacement.

Pakistan face Afghanistan in a three-match one-day international series in Sri Lanka starting Tuesday, with skipper Babar Azam seeing it as good preparation for the Asia Cup and World Cup.

Former team director Khaled Mahmud Sujon had been away from the national side’s periphery for a while.

Facing steep challenges both home and away in the previous ODI Super League had seen Bangladesh put on a brave face and set themselves ambitious targets in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup. Newly-appointed ODI skipper Shakib Al Hasan also made a similar assertion just a few days back.

Nepal will take on Pakistan and India at the Asia Cup, with Paudel's side drawn in Group A alongside the two cricketing powerhouses

"We are a very good team and we are playing really very well in the white-ball format, so now it's time to show everyone how good we are," Shakib said.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said that the decision to leave out experienced campaigner Mahmudullah Riyad from the Asia Cup was done after discussing the matter at length with the team management, skipper Shakib Al Hasan and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

Experienced Mahmudullah Riyad did not make the cut while Tanzid Hossain Tamim got his first national team call-up as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup later this month.

With Shakib Al Hasan named as the ODI captain yesterday, there was no obstruction left to announce the Bangladesh squad for the Asia Cup.