Pakistan To Not Host 2020 Asia Cup After India's Refusal To Tour Nation

The showpiece multi-nation event among Asian cricketing nations is likely to be played in either Bangladesh, Dubai or Sri Lanka after the hosting rights of Pakistan withdrawn to hold the tournament.

Pakistan Cricket Team

In what comes as a major setback to Pakistan's hopes of hosting a major ICC tournament, the Asia Cup scheduled to be played in the sub continent nation later this year will be shifted out after India refused to tour the country under any circumstances and threatened a pullout from the marquee event. The showpiece tournament is likely to be played in either Bangladesh, Dubai or Sri Lanka. The venue for the tournament will be finally  decided in February. During the ACC meeting in Singapore, a senior BCCI official had told PTI, "The decision to play in Pakistan will be completely be the government's call. The Board will follow whatever decision the centre takes. We believe that just like we hosted the tournament last year in the UAE, Pakistan should also ideally organise it at a neutral venue."

The premier T20 tournament among the Asian nation was slated to be hosted by Pakistan in September later this year. The Asia Cup will be played in the Twenty20 format this year as a preparatory tournament for the the marquee World T20 which will be played after a gap of four years and will be played in Australia for the first time.

It is notable that Pakistan has only hosted the Asia Cup once ever since its inception way back in 1988. India have won the tournament a record six times followed by Sri Lanka who have five titles to their name. Pakistan have won the Asia Cup only twice which was in 2000 and 2012.

The 2016 edition of the Asia Cup was played in the Twenty20 format and this will be the second time the tournament will adopt the shorter format in order to prepare for Australia