Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is not just the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the T20 World Cup that is hanging by a slender thread. The Asia Cup is battling uncertainty as well.
This time, the tournament is set for play in T20 format, and scheduled for the end of September. Since Pakistan is supposed to host it this time and India is unable to travel there, there is speculation that the Asia Cup could be staged by the UAE, just as in 2018.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) met on Monday to discuss the Asia Cup’s fate via a video conference. But, no decision was made in the meeting, with the council members preferred to hold further meetings later this month to discuss the matter.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was represented by its President Sourav Ganguly, and Secretary Jay Shah in the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Nazmul Hasan Papon, the chief of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The members discussed whether the event could continue as planned in September, preferably held at a neutral venue in the UAE.
According to the ACC’s statement, “In light of the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, possible venue options for the Asia Cup 2020 were discussed and it was decided to take the final decision in due course.”
Besides that, the ACC Board was also apprised of the status and progress of the involvement of ACC with the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Board noted the ACC’s ongoing activities and initiatives with satisfaction.
