Asia Cup 2021 set to be postponed due to Covid-19 situation
With all the teams planning for their Future Tour Programs (FTPs) for the next two years, the tournament is likely to happen only after the 2023 ICC 50-over World Cup.
The Asia Cup scheduled for 2021 scheduled to be hosted by Sri Lanka, mid-year, is now set to be postponed due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the sub-continent. ESPNcricinfo understands that Sri Lanka Cricket officials are sceptical the tournament can go ahead as planned.
Also, all four major Asian sides facing packed schedules until the end of the year.
Asia Cup 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic from last year and Sri Lanka had the hosting rights to schedule the T20 tournament in June 2021.
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Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said that it will be difficult to host the tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Due to prevailing situation, it will not be possible to play the tournament in June this year," Ashley de Silva told media on Wednesday as quoted by AFP.
The 2020 edition has been shifted a number of times. The tournament which was originally scheduled to be held in September 2020 in Sri Lanka was moved to June 2021 due to Covid-19.
However, the unrelenting pandemic has played spoilsport again.
With all the teams planning for their Future Tour Programs (FTPs) for the next two years, the tournament is likely to happen only after the 2023 ICC 50-over World Cup.
A formal statement from the Asian Cricket Council is, however, yet to come.
Pakistan have the hosting rights for Asia Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, with doubts over the venue of the T20 World Cup in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic situation in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called for a Special General Meeting on May 29 to discuss the upcoming cricket season in India, including the World Cup venue.
The ICC is expected to take a call depending on the Covid-19 situation in India, which is grim at the moment. The UAE has emerged as the backup venue for the event after the IPL 2021 had to be suspended halfway following multiple Covid-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.
Initially, Pakistan was supposed to host it. But the tournament was moved to the island nation due to tensions between India and Pakistan.
Asia Cup was last played in 2018 when the UAE hosted a 50-over tournament across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. India defeated Bangladesh in the final by 3 wickets to win the continental crown.
