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The Asian Cup is in jeopardy as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh do not want to play the UAE

With the World Cup in India stable, the Asian Cup in Pakistan faces uncertainty. Organizational disputes and political unrest, including the arrest of Imran Khan, raise doubts. Sri Lanka emerges as an alternative, but the PCB may decline if its demands are not met

It is known that the PCB, as the designated organizer, wanted to hold the Asian Cup in Pakistan and the UAE after India refused to go to Pakistan. However, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket Federation (SLC) did not agree to play in UAE because of the September heat wave there.

Sri Lanka has emerged as a possible alternative location for the tournament, but the PCB seems reluctant to participate in the championship if its offers are not met. The organization has stated that it will decline to participate if the tournament is rescheduled.

SLC and BCB cited the heat in September as a factor preventing them from playing in the UAE, but PCB said several tournaments in the past have been successful in September. In a meeting with BCB and SLC representatives, PCB head Najam Sethi, who recently visited Dubai, mentioned that the 50-over Asian Cup was held in 2018 from Sept. 15 to 28, with BCCI as the designated organizer.

Scary to say, many Indian players complained about the heat during the 2018 Asian Cup, which had to start at noon, when the UAE is usually very hot. Other events were held in Twenty20 format and started in the evening.

So far, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), led by its secretary Jay Shah, who is also the head of the ACC, has not commented on this. No decision has yet been made on whether to hold the tournament, but at this point, its fate looks uncertain and in jeopardy.