Six nations vie for Asia Cup in August-by Dhammika Ratnaweera

ACC President Jay Shah (second from right) at the ACC AGM while Mahinda Vallipuram Malaysian Cricket President (left), ACC Vice President Pankaj Khimji( second from left ), SLC President and Chairman of Finance and Marketing Committee of the ACC Shammi Silva (on extreme right) at the head table. 

Source:Dailynews

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Saturday decided that the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will be held later this year from August 27 to September 11 The tournament will be played in T20 format. The Qualifiers for the same will be played 20 August 2022 onwards.After the successful ACC meeting held in Colombo on Saturday ACC said the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022 will have six teams – India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and a Qualifier. The Qualifier tournament will be played between UAE and Kuwait, who progressed from 2020 ACC Western Region T20, and Singapore and Hing Kong, who progressed from the 2020 ACC Eastern Region T20. June 2021 window for the tournament, scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka,

but the pandemic denied the organisers once again. India remain the most dominant team in Asia Cup history. In 14 editions,

since the inception in 1984, India have won the title seven times – 1984, 1988, 1990/91, 1995, 2010, 2016 and 2018. Sri Lanka is the second most successful side with five title wins – 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008 and 2014. They have also made the most appearances (14) in Asia Cup history followed by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have played the tournament 13 times

each. Pakistan have won the remaining two times – 2000 and 2012. The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will only be the second occasion when the tournament will be played in the T20 format.The 2016 edition was also played in the T20 format, with India beating Bangladesh in the final in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah’s term as the President of Asian Cricket Council has been unanimously extended by a year until the 2024 ACC AGM. The decision was taken at the ACC AGM in Colombo on Saturday.

Addressing the AGM, the ACC President, Jay Shah, said “I would like to thank all of my esteemed colleagues at the ACC for reposing their faith in me and considering me worthy to carry on all the work we had begun. I humbly accept this honour and am committed to working hard with a view to organize, develop and promote our beloved sport of cricket in the region, aiding the ACC to steadily grown in stature.

“We remain committed towards ensuring the all-round development of cricket in the region, especially carrying forward the pioneering work in women’s cricket and the multiple grassroot tournaments the ACC conducts in the region around the year. The pandemic hopefully is behind us and I am keen that we adapt, innovate and help the ACC grow from strength to strength from hereon.”

The AGM also saw the appointment of Pankaj Khimji, President of Oman Cricket, as Vice-President of the ACC. Khimji takes on the role from Mahinda Vallipuram of the Malaysian Cricket Association. The ACC President said that he looked forward to working with Khimji towards shaping the future of Asian cricket.

Finally, Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) who had been an Associate Member of the ACC since the year 2000, presented their application to upgrade their Membership to that of Non-Test Playing Full Member status.The ACC Members considered the matter and ratified Qatar Cricket Association’s (QCA) membership upgrade.

Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva who also the Chairman of Finance and Marketing Committee of the ACC has big role to promote this sport in Asian region.