Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly has confirmed this year's Asia Cup will be played in Dubai.
Pakistan were scheduled to host the tournament. India, however, were not willing to tour the country. International tours to Pakistan have been sparse since 2009, when the touring Sri Lankans were subjected to a terrorist attack in Lahore.
“The Asia Cup will be held in Dubai and both India and Pakistan will play,” Ganguly told reporters at Eden Gardens this week.
Pakistan Super League in Pakistan
The Pakistan Super League is currently being played in Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi. This is the first time the PSL has been hosted entirely in Pakistan. Previously, it shared fixtures with the United Arab Emirates. The Quetta Gladiators are the reigning champions.
The 2020 Asia Cup will be a T20I competition. Teams are preparing for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. India have been grouped with England, South Africa, Afghanistan and two qualifying teams for the 2020 T20 World Cup. India are priced at 4.50 by bet365 to win this year's T20 World Cup. They won the inaugural edition in 2007. They will host the tournament in 2021. The West Indies have won the T20 World Cup twice.
Kumble wants five-day cricket to stay
Meanwhile, former India captain and current ICC cricket committee chairman Anil Kumble has insisted Test cricket's five-day format remain. Some full member countries want the ICC to consider a change to four-day Test cricket from 2023.
“Five-day Test is what it is. And a Test it is because it is five days. If it was four days, it wouldn't be a Test. I am very clear on that,” said Kumble.
“It was discussed a couple of years ago, but I don't think there's any progress made on taking a decision of a mandatory four-day Test. I don't think it has ever been done. There was an experiment done with South Africa and Zimbabwe, where they played a four-day Test match. England played Ireland. I mean when you play Afghanistan, Ireland, Zimbabwe, maybe the boards have the wherewithal to go ahead and play a four-day Test.”
