Pakistan have asked us to host Asia Cup: Sri Lanka Cricket

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC)'s Executive Board, after a video conference on Monday, revealed that a decision on the Asia Cup would be taken in due course. The scheduled events of the ACC were high on the list of the matters discussed in the meeting.

The ACC, in a media update, clarified that the Board emphasised the importance of holding the Asia Cup 2020 during the video conference.

“In particular, the board emphasised on the importance of holding the Asia Cup 2020. 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,” the ACC update stated.

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The President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly attended the meeting for the first time.

“The Board was also apprised of the status and progress of the ACC’s involvement with the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzou, China. The Board noted with satisfaction the ongoing activities and initiatives of the ACC. The meeting was chaired by the ACC President Nazmul Hassan. Attending for the first time was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly,” the update stated.

Although Pakistan is the designated host for the 2020 Asia Cup, but the PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani had revealed earlier this March that the tournament will have to be hosted at a neutral venue due to their strained political relations with India.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva has claimed that Pakistan has given the green light to the Islanders for hosting the upcoming edition of the multi-nation event.

“We had a discussion with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they have already agreed to our hosting this edition due to the present world situation,” Shammi told Ceylon Today.

“We had an online ACC meeting today [8 June] and they basically gave us the green light to host the tournament,” he added.

Sri Lanka has recorded over 1,800 cases of the Covid-19, out of which 990 have recovered and been discharged, bringing down total active cases to over 800.