The 2021 Asia Cup is in doubt as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to pull out from the tournament inorder to create space in their international calendar for World Test Championship (WTC) final and bilateral series postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reported The Times of India.

India is still in the race for the WTC final, which is expected to take place in mid-June this year at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The 2020 Asia Cup was postponed last year and moved to 2021 with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) working towards securing June 2021 as a suitable window for the tournament.

ALSO READ: South Africa’s T20I plan against Pakistan in doldrums due to Covid-19 protocols

The aforementioned move is likely to upset the broadcasters as they were anticipating a financial windfall due to the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in Asia Cup. Hence, inorder to compensate the broadcasters, the BCCI is planning to reschedule their various postponed bilateral series from last year, as well as looking to host Sri Lanka for a possible series to make up for the absence of a tournament like the Asia Cup.

It may also be noted that the hosts for the Asia Cup 2020, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), had exchanged hosting rights for the tournament with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Through this arrangement, the SLC will now host the rescheduled Asia Cup expected in June 2021 while the PCB will host the Asia Cup 2022.