Asia Cup was a prime area of attention at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Annual General Meeting, which was held in Dhaka on Thursday. Even though the meeting was in person, representatives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) participated virtually.
While the BCCI continues to hold the official rights for hosting the eight-nation event, sources reveal that the board has consented to shift the tournament to a neutral venue. Of the prospects, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have turned out to be the front runners to host the matches.
According to India Today, all issues that previously hung over the fate of the tournament have now been addressed, especially following the uncertainty that was created after a terror attack at Pahalgam early this year. According to the report, "An agreement has been signed with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for the use of three venues, but only two are likely to be used for the Asia Cup."
To conclude important facts like match locations and timetabling, a meeting would soon be held between BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla and Mohsin Naqvi, both ACC President and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). A preliminary timeline for the tournament has been proposed from September 7 to the third or fourth week of the month. This is calendaring sets the Asia Cup as a perfect precursor to the T20 World Cup, which will take place in February 2026.
Interestingly, the BCCI had earlier decided not to attend the AGM in Dhaka last week, but it did so citing persisting strains in its diplomatic relationship with Bangladesh. The board later changed its mind and decided to join virtually.
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