Asia Cup 2020 has been called off and will be staged in 2021, June as revealed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
ACC held a meeting on 9th July, Thursday, and has disclosed the final decision. The decision was deferred from the last few months and finally, a final call has been made.
September is now left vacant as there is no more existing Asia Cup which can help BCCI to organize their wandering T20 league looking for a possible window. It can be easier for them if ICC also calls off the mega-event, T20 World Cup, and shifts it to either 2021 or 2023.
Asia Cup 2020 called off, to be staged in July 2021
“Travel restrictions, country-specific quarantine requirements, fundamental health risks, and social distancing mandates have posed as substantial challenges to holding the Asia Cup,” read a statement from the ACC. “Above all, the risks related to health and safety of participating players, support staff and commercial partners, fans, and the cricketing community were deemed to be significant.”
It is to be noted that Afghanistan and one Asian qualifier were also supposed to be a part of the Asia Cup 2020.
Earlier, the president of BCCI has already revealed that the tournament has been canceled but notably, his announcement was unofficial.
The tournament was to be staged at UAE in September. Pakistan, however, got the rights to host the tournament, but Indo-Pak political tensions rose as an obstacle and India denied to visit Pakistan for Asia Cup 2020.
PCB later contacted Sri Lanka to grant them the hosting rights and also took UAE under consideration. Hence, Sri Lanka got finalized for hosting Asia Cup 2020.
