PRIVILEGE TO HOST ASIA CUP IN UAE: SHEIKH NAHYAN
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Emirates Cricket Board signed an agreement on Friday for the UAE to host the Asia Cup in September.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take part in the tournament.
They will be joined by a sixth team represented by the winner of the Asian Cricket Council qualifier event.
The tournament will be held from Sept.15-28 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The UAE’S Minister for Culture, Youth and Social Development and the Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, signed on behalf of the ECB (Emirates Cricket Board). On behalf of the BCCI, the Acting Secretary Amitabh Choudhary signed the agreement. BCCI CEO Rahul Johri was also present, according to a release from BCCI.
Nahyan said, “It is a matter of great pride for the UAE to host a prestigious event like the Asia Cup. Our country is home to a large section of people from the participating nations and we feel privileged and excited by the opportunity to bring their favourite sport right here to their doorstep.
“This is the biggest cricketing event to be held in the UAE and we will ensure every support to make the 2018 Asia Cup a huge success.”
Choudhary said: “We are thankful to the Emirates Cricket Board for hosting the 2018 Asia Cup on behalf of the BCCI.
“We will see some of the sport’s powerhouse nations go head-tohead for ultimate glory and I am confident that cricket fans around the world will enjoy every moment of this prestigious event.”
The first match of the tournament will be played between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Sept.15 in Dubai while India will play their first match on Sept.18 against the qualified team on the same venue.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns on Sept.19. India, Pakistan and the qualifier are placed in Group A while Group B comprises Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 4 and two teams will then play the final on 28 September in Dubai.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) took the decision in this regard during its meeting in Kuala Lumpur in April. It was the BCCI’S turn to host the event this year. But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had raised objection over playing matches in India, citing the Indian cricket board’s refusal to participate in the Asian Emerging Nations Cup in Pakistan.
The tournament will be played in a 50-over format this term, with an eye on the next year’s World Cup.