The ACC could not find a suitable window to conduct the tournament since the virus messed up the international calendar.
“The ACC Executive Board, in face of the risks and restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, had made the difficult decision to postpone the Asia Cup 2020 to 2021. Since then, the ACC has been working with its participants and stakeholders to try and ensure that the event is held in the year,” the ACC stated in a media release.
“However, on account of a packed FTP (Future Tour Programs), it has been concluded that there is no practical window in the year when all the teams would be available to participate. The Board has accordingly considered the matter very carefully and determined that the only way ahead would be to postpone the event. It would therefore only be feasible for this edition of the tournament to be held in 2023 as there is already an Asia Cup in 2022. Dates for the same will be confirmed in due course,” the council added further.
This year’s tournament would have been played in the shortest format before the T20 World Cup, slated later in October-November. The last Asia Cup was played in 2018 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Team India emerged as winners playing against Bangladesh in the final.
The biennial competition, which was planned back in September 2020, would now be pushed back for two straight years to 2022.
The cricket fans would yet again be in dismay to hear about another tournament being adjourned due to the deadly coronavirus. Earlier, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 also came to a halt due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the bio-bubble.
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