 "The Indian and Pakistani teams led by Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam respectively had faced each other twice in the previous edition of the Men's Asia Cup. AP")
This year’s Asia Cup has been in doubt ever since the terror attack in Pahalgam in April that led to a military showdown between nuclear-armed nations India and Pakistan, and the prospect of the tournament getting called off appears highly likely.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket for over a decade now and the recent incidents have made the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) consider the option of a total boycott of Pakistan, at least in the near future.
Pakistan contacts Afghanistan for triangular series
And with the Asia Cup – which was to be hosted by India in September – looking increasingly uncertain, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering playing a triangular series with Afghanistan and host nation United Arab Emirates as an alternative.
“With the Asia Cup now unlikely to be held in India as originally planned in September due to the simmering relations between Pakistan and India, the PCB is working on another tri-series proposal,” a well-informed source in the PCB told news agency Press Trust of India.
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The PCB added that it will stick to the proposed move even if the continental event is moved to the UAE from India, and not called off entirely.
“The idea is that if the Asia Cup is moved to the UAE then Pakistan will play a tri-series with Afghanistan and the UAE in Dubai in August replacing the Afghanistan tour to Pakistan.
“If the Asia Cup is cancelled or postponed the PCB wants the Afghanistan and UAE teams to play the tri-series in Pakistan in August,” the source added.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIndia yet to confirm participation in Asia Cup
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had last month refuted rumours of India pulling out of the Asia Cup. Saikia had said that the board’s focus – at the time – was on conducting the remaining matches of the Indian Premier League following a week-long suspension due to the Indo-Pak conflict, and the upcoming five-match Test series in England, while adding that the Asia Cup would be discussed in due time.
“The Indian cricket board is yet to confirm its willingness to host the Asia Cup at home. So, it remains to be seen when the ACC council meets and makes a call on the future of the Asia Cup which is to be held in the T20 format,” the source added.
The tournament, would have been the third to take place in the T20 format after 2016 and 2022, which were won by India and Sri Lanka respectively. It would have also given all the participating teams valuable practice ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will be jointly-hosted by India and Sri Lanka early next year.