2020 Asia Cup

The 2020 Asia Cup was scheduled to be the 15th edition of the Asia Cup cricket tournament, with the matches being played as Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). It was scheduled to be held in September 2020.[1][2][3] India were the defending champions.[4] However, in July 2020, the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] As a result, the next edition of the tournament is scheduled to take place in June 2021, with Sri Lanka Cricket hosting the competition.[6]

For the women's tournament scheduled to take place in the same year, see 2020 Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup.

Asia Cup 2020
Administrator(s)Asian Cricket Council
Cricket formatTwenty20 International
Host(s) Pakistan
Participants6

Background

In December 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were granted the rights to host the tournament by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).[7] However, it was unclear if the matches will be played in Pakistan or the United Arab Emirates.[8] After the announcement was made, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested that the PCB change the event's venue due to ongoing security concerns.[9] Pakistan last held a multi-team international tournament in 2008, with the 2008 Asia Cup.[10] Since then, only a handful of international matches have taken place in Pakistan following the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team.[10]

In May 2019, the ACC confirmed that Pakistan will host the tournament.[11][12] The decision to host the tournament in Pakistan raised doubts over India's participation, with the ongoing political tension between the two countries.[13] In October 2019, the decision to host the tournament in Pakistan was still to be agreed by the ACC, due to doubts raised over India's participation.[14] In January 2020, various news outlets reported that Pakistan would not be hosting the tournament, due to the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India.[15]

On 28 February 2020, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly stated that "the Asia Cup will be held in Dubai and both India and Pakistan will play."[16][17] The following day, Ehsan Mani Chairman of the PCB, contradicted Ganguly's statement, saying that the venue has not been finalised.[18][19] Initially, The ACC was scheduled to meet on 3 March 2020 to discuss the location of the tournament,[20][21] but the meeting was moved back until the end of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] On 7 March 2020, Ehsan Mani said that the tournament would be played at a neutral venue.[23] The following month, Mani admitted that the tournament may not take place at all due to the pandemic.[24]

In June 2020, following a meeting with the ACC, the PCB said they would be willing to let Sri Lanka host the tournament,[25] with India unwilling to travel to Pakistan.[26] The ACC issued a press release following the meeting stating that "in light of the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, possible venue options for the Asia Cup 2020 were discussed and it was decided to take the final decision in due course".[27]

On 8 July 2020, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly stated that the tournament had been cancelled,[28] although no official confirmation had been made by the Asian Cricket Council.[29] The following day, the tournament was officially postponed.[30]

Teams and qualifications
Means of qualification[31] Date Host Berths Qualified
ICC Full Member 28 May 2019[11][12] Pakistan 5

 Afghanistan
 Bangladesh
 India
 Pakistan
 Sri Lanka

Qualifier August 2020 Malaysia 1 Tournament postponed[32]
Total 6

References
  1. "PCB earns rights to 2020 Asia Cup, but no clarity on venue". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. "Pakistan to host next Asia Cup". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. "'Totally incorrect' - Wasim Khan denies deal with Bangladesh over hosting Asia Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  4. "India creep home in final-over thriller to defend Asia Cup title". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  5. "Asia Cup 2020 postponed in wake of Covid-19; ACC looks for window in 2021". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. "ACC Media Release: Asia Cup 2020 to be Postponed". Asian Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  7. "PCB granted rights for 2020 Asia Cup". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. "Pakistan gets right to host Asia Cup in 2020". Geo TV. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  9. "BCCI asks PCB to change Asia Cup venue". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  10. "Pakistan to host 2020 Asia Cup". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  11. "Pakistan to host Asia Cup T20I next year". Geo News. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  12. "Pakistan to host 2020 Asia Cup". New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  13. "Doubts over India's participation as Pakistan set to host Asia Cup 2020". CricTracker. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  14. "ACC to decide host". ANI News. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  15. "Pakistan To Not Host 2020 Asia Cup After India's Refusal To Tour Nation". ABP News. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  16. "Asia Cup to be held in Dubai, both India and Pakistan will play: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly". India Today. PTI. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  17. "Asia Cup 2020 in Dubai, India and Pakistan will participate". Gulf News. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  18. "PCB chief contradicts Sourav Ganguly, says Asia Cup venue not finalised yet: Report". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  19. "Asia Cup 2020 venue yet to be finalized: PCB Chief Ehsan Mani". CricTracker. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  20. "Asian Cricket Council will decide Asia Cup venue on March 3: PCB". Times of India. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  21. "Discussions expected on Asia T20 Cup in Dubai next week". The Nation. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  22. "Sourav Ganguly's Asian Cricket Council trip put off due to Coronavirus". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  23. "Asia Cup 2020 to be hosted on neutral venue: Ehsan Mani". Geo TV. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  24. "Coronavirus: Asia Cup will not make way for IPL and 'must be held' if cricket resumes in time". The National. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  25. "Asia Cup likely in Sri Lanka; PCB offers SLC to swap hosting rights". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  26. "Sri Lanka Cricket Offers To Host Asia Cup 2020 Edition". Cricket Addictor. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  27. "Pakistan gave us green light to host 2020 Asia Cup: SLC chief Shammi Silva". Gulf News. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  28. "Sourav Ganguly Confirms Asia Cup 2020 Has Been Cancelled A Day Before Council Meeting". Republic World. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  29. "Asia Cup in UAE unlikely as tournament faces cancellation". The National. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  30. "Asia Cup 2020 postponed". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  31. "Asian Cricket Council Calendar 2020". Asian Cricket Council. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  32. "No home Asia Cup for UAE after tournament is cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic". The National. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
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