Pakistan to host 2020 Asia Cup

Published December 15, 2018
It remains unclear whether the tournament will be played in Pakistan or the UAE. — File
It remains unclear whether the tournament will be played in Pakistan or the UAE. — File

DHAKA: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has awarded the hosting rights for the 2020 Asia Cup to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, the final venue for the tournament remains unclear over whether it will be played in Pakistan or the UAE.

The decision was made in the Bangladesh capital on Thursday.

“The next Asia Cup will be hosted by Pakistan, and the hosting right belongs to them. Where they will host the tournament, it’s up to them,” ACC president Nazmul Hassan Papon was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune.The tournament is scheduled to be played in September 2020, and will be played in the T20 format. It is set to precede the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup.

The UAE has served as Pakistan’s adopted home for their bilateral series since 2010 after international cricket stopped in the country following the March 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.

Furthermore, Pakistan hosted group ‘B’ matches of the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

The 50-overs-a-side 2018 Asia Cup was scheduled to be played in India, but was shifted to the UAE with India triumphing over Bangladesh in the final by three wickets.

Ehsan Mani, PCB chairman and ACC chief development officer, said on Thursday: “We have a long programme to develop Asian cricket. We want to start from u-16 and u-19 to the Asia Cup.

“It’s not about cricket only but also about developing our umpires, match referees. Our main focus is to strengthen cricket of Asia which is the strongest area for [world] cricket. Afghanistan invested a lot for cricket and thus they became the full member nation of the International Cricket Council (ICC). We’re searching for more nations. Oman, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia are doing well. They can bring themselves to the next level. We’re trying to develop cricket of these countries,” Mani, the former ACC president, added.

ACC vice-president K.H. Imran, Mani, BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary, BCB chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, SLC president Kamal Path­masiri and Afghanistan Cricket Board president Azziullah Fazale attended the ACC board meeting.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.