ASIA CUP 2021 POSTPONED TO 2023, ACC SAYS ‘NO PRACTICAL WINDOW’ TO STAGE TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Sunday confirmed that the Asia Cup 2021 has been postponed as “no practical window” was available to stage the tournament this year in face of the risks posed by COVID-19.

“The ACC Executive Board, in face of the risks and restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, had made the difficult decision to postpone the Asia Cup 2020 to 2021,” the ACC said in a statement. “Since then, the ACC has been working with its participants and stakeholders to try and ensure that the event is held in the year.”

“However, on account of a packed FTP, it has been concluded that there is no practical window in the year when all the teams would be available to participate. The Board has accordingly considered the matter very carefully and determined that the only way ahead would be to postpone the event,” the statement further read.

ACC said it would only be feasible for this edition of the tournament to be held in 2023 as there is already an Asia Cup in 2022 and dates for the same will be confirmed in due course.

Pakistan is likely to host the 2022 edition of the tournament, with Sri Lanka hosting in 2023, ESPNcricinfo reported.

Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani had confirmed that the Asia Cup slated to be held in June this year was likely to be postponed if India managed to qualify for the finals of the World Test Championship.

“Asia Cup was set to go last year but it got postponed to this year. Right now, it looks like the Asia Cup won’t be going ahead this year as the WTC finals are set to go ahead in June. Sri Lanka had said that they would try to host the tournament in June,” Mani had told reporters in Karachi during a press conference. There has not been an Asia Cup after 2018. India had won the last two editions of the tournament.