Even though Sri Lanka hosted an entire tour of Australia without incident and is currently hosting a Test series against Pakistan without any big problems, the 2022 Asia Cup may be moved elsewhere.
The Asia Cup will still be held in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as the official host nation, however, matches are scheduled to take place in Dubai and Sharjah from August 27 to September 11.
The decision was made this week at a meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is still concerned about the severe fuel shortage that has been a major factor in bringing Sri Lanka to a standstill.
Despite the nation’s worsening economic and political problems, Sri Lanka Cricket remained “quite optimistic” about hosting the Asia Cup until last week.
Holding a competition like the Asia Cup, which will this time be played in the T20 format and include as many as nine countries, is significantly different from hosting bilateral series.
“Hosting two teams is not the same as hosting ten teams,” SLC chief executive officer Ashley de Silva told ESPNcricinfo on Sunday. “You have to provide ten buses with fuel for all of them. You have to give every team a luggage van with fuel, and transport for the managers.
You also have to give the sponsors transport and ensure that they are getting the mileage that they want from their sponsorship. The fuel for the generators to run the floodlights will also have to be found.”
On July 22, the ACC is scheduled to release the Asia Cup schedule, and it is anticipated that India and Pakistan will play each other twice during the league phase.
Thousands of fans from both nations would typically have flown to Sri Lanka for the match, but de Silva believed the political upheaval and petrol crisis would act as a significant deterrent.
Given that the monsoon season in most of the Indian subcontinent runs from June to September, the ACC had few possibilities for backup locations.
The UAE has established itself as a successful location in terms of transport and facilities, however because of the season’s high heat, matches may start in the early evening.
UAE will host the Asia Cup for the second time in the last five years.
The 50-over competition was place in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah between September 15 and 28 in the year 2018.
To read our blog on “Asia Cup Likely To Be Held In Sri Lanka, Pakistan Cricket Board,” click here.
