MUMBAI, Dec 4: Cricket’s six-nation Asia Cup due to take place in Pakistan early next year has been postponed after Indian complained that their players faced a gruelling schedule, officials said on Sunday.

“The tournament will be organised later at a mutually convenient date,” Indian cricket chief Sharad Pawar told reporters im Mumbai after a meeting of the BCCI.

Hosts Pakistan agreed to India’s request to cancel the limited-overs tournament to give Indian players respite from their non-stop schedule, officials said.

Asia’s premier event featuring India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE and Oman was to be organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in Pakistan from Feb 16-28.

The event was sandwiched between India’s tour of Pakistan in January-February and England’s tour of India starting in the last week of February.

“India play three Tests and five one-dayers in Pakistan and another three Tests and seven one-dayers at home against England, so another one-day series is not a good idea,” a BCCI source on Sunday.

The Indian team has been on the road since August, playing in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe before returning home for 12 one-dayers against Sri Lanka and South Africa in November.

Rahul Dravid’s men will complete a three-Test series against Sri Lanka on Dec 22, tour Pakistan in January-February, play England at home from March 8-April 28 and then tour the West Indies in May-June.—AFP