Asian Cricket Council meeting will decide India’s fate of hosting next year’s Asia Cup

Pakistan and India haven't played a bilateral series since 2012-13.

India played against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy earlier this year | Getty

The Chief Executives of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are due for a meet up in Dubai on December 18 where India’s fate of hosting next year’s Asia Cup will be decided. The BCCI’s staging of the tournament has been in doubt since the event will have a team from Pakistan.

According to Hindustan Times, BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary has stated that India have a September-October window next year to stage the event, but things would become clear only after the continental body meets.

On being asked whether the Indian cricket board would not like to cash in on the popularity of playing the arch-rivals in its new Future Tours Programme, Amitabh Choudhary said: “Not only I, it is a question which is embedded not in the matrix of cricket alone.”

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

India and Pakistan do lock horns with each other during the world events and recently played in the ICC Champions Trophy twice. However, playing Pakistan has always been a dilemma for the BCCI. Even at the start of this year, the cricket board had sought clearance from the Indian government in order to play a bilateral series with Pakistan next year. Amid all the tussle between both the countries at the LOC, the request was expectedly turned down by the BJP led Indian government.

As far as featuring in a bilateral series is concerned – India had last played Pakistan in 2012-13 in a three-match ODI series at home. They have not played a Test series since 2007. However, Pakistan had travelled to Indian to play the 2011 World Cup and 2016 World T20.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 12 Dec, 2017

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