2018 Asia Cup venue changed from India to UAE

Event to take place from September 13 to 28, announces ACC

KARACHI: The UAE will host the 2018 Asia Cup after Pakistan expressed reservations on organising the tournament in India, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced on Tuesday.

India was due to host this year’s Asian extravaganza but Pakistan stated their discontentment citing the non-issuance of visa to athletes of other sports.

The decision was taken by the ACC during the annual general meeting, where the case was heard and a decision was extracted.

Earlier, India had said that they wouldn’t host Pakistan in the Asia Cup and the Pakistan Cricket Board also said that they wouldn’t visit their neighbours.

"The ACC deliberated on the matter and decided that this was the best way forward," Asian Cricket Council and PCB chairman Najam Sethi told ESPNcricinfo.

The event’s dates were also announced and the tournament will take place from September 13 till 28.

This decision of holding the Asia Cup in the UAE will help Pakistan as they have been playing all their home series in the country, while hosting the major part of their domestic T20 tournament, the Pakistan Super League, in Sharjah and Dubai as well.

Teams and format

Asia Cup was historically played as an ODI tournament but in 2016, just before the World T20 was to be staged, the format of the event was changed to T20s.

The same format will be followed this year as well when Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan take on each other alongside a sixth team.

The sixth side will be decided after UAE, Hong Kong, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia and Oman face each other in playoffs.

India are currently the defending champions after they beat Bangladesh in the final in 2016.

Other decisions

In other decisions, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were announced as the venues for the upcoming Emerging Teams Cup.

India put forward their objection of sending their team to Pakistan which resulted in the inclusion of Sri Lanka as the hosts of the Emerging cup.

Also, the ACC announced that the next yearly general meeting will be held place in Pakistan.