Asia Cup: Call on India as hosts on December 18 over Pakistan participation

The BCCI’s staging of the Asia Cup has been thrown into doubt due to doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the prevailing political climate between the two neighbours.

India hosting next year’s Asia Cup cricket tournament will be known when the Asian Cricket Council meets in Dubai on December 18.

India’s hosting next year’s Asia Cup cricket tournament will be known when the Asian Cricket Council meets in Dubai on December 18. (Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

The BCCI’s staging of the tournament has been thrown into doubt due to doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the prevailing political climate between the two neighbours.

BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said India had a September-October window next year to stage the event, but the picture would become clear only after the continental body meets.

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India last played Pakistan in a bilateral tournament in 2012-13 at home. They have not played a Test series since India hosted Pakistan in 2007. Pakistan though travelled to play the 2011 World Cup and the 2016 World T20 in India.

Since the Asia Cup began in 1984, India has hosted only one of the eight editions, in 1990. Bangladesh hosted the first T20 Asia Cup in 2016, ahead of the World T20 staged in India.

Asked whether the BCCI would not like to cash in on the popularity of playing Pakistan in its new Future Tours Programme, acting secretary, Amitabh Choudhary, said “Not only I, it is a question which is embedded not in the matrix of cricket alone.

“And that is publicly recognised. Unless you put in all factors that are relevant, it’s futile to answer that question.”