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Agence France-Presse

Asia Cup matches involving India could be played in Sri Lanka after the cricketing powerhouse refused to visit arch-rival and official host Pakistan, a board official said on Sunday.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is due to make a formal announcement in the coming week after calls for a different venue for India’s games in the 50-over tournament in September, a Sri Lankan official said.
Neighbours India and Pakistan have not met on either side’s soil in any version of the game since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds.
The two cricketing powerhouses have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947, and are bitter political rivals.
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“It is very likely that some of the matches will be in Sri Lanka,” the board official said, asking not to be named.
“But we have still not officially received confirmation.”
Sri Lanka’s board had expressed willingness to host some Asia Cup matches, despite an economic crisis which forced it to default on its US$46 billion foreign debt in April last year and seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
The official said it had the capacity to conduct an international tournament, even though the island was still emerging from the economic downturn.
The unprecedented economic crisis led to months of protests and the ousting of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was accused of corruption and mismanagement.
He fled the country and resigned in July 2022.
“Even at the height of the crisis when we didn’t have fuel and electricity, we hosted the Australian team,” the official said, referring to Australia’s tour taking in three T20 matches, five ODIs and three Tests.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had threatened to boycott the World Cup in India, which is due to start in October, if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to play the Asia Cup in Pakistan a month earlier.
The BCCI has since been looking to work out a plan to play the six-nation tournament at a neutral venue in September. The other nations in the Asia Cup are Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.


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ICC (International Cricket Council)

Sri Lanka likely venue of India matches in cricket’s Asia Cup after refusal to visit Pakistan: official

India and Pakistan have not met on each other’s soil since 2012. Photo: Reuters

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Pakistan’s Mohammad Kamran (centre) in action in a match against India at a cricket tournament in Hong Kong in 2020. Photo: Edmond So

Cricket fans, with their faces painted in the Indian and Pakistani national flag colours, ahead of the first match between India and Pakistan in Twenty20 World Cup super 12 stage on October 23, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Cricket fans in Lahore react while watching the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan in August last year via a live telecast. Photo: AFP

Indian fans wave the national flag during the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final in Manchester, England. India is the sport’s most lucrative market by far. Photo: AFP

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International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Greg Barclay (right) visits the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore along with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi. Photo: AFP

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The International Cricket Council logo at the ICC headquarters in Dubai. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Cricket

India refused to visit the tournament’s host, the country’s arch-rival Pakistan
Sri Lankan official said their country had the capacity to stage matches despite still emerging from an economic downturn


Sri Lankan official said their country had the capacity to stage matches despite still emerging from an economic downturn, after India refused to visit tournament host Pakistan.


ICC Cricket World Cup

Sri Lanka likely venue of India matches in cricket’s Asia Cup after refusal to visit Pakistan: official

India refused to visit the tournament’s host, the country’s arch-rival Pakistan Sri Lankan official said their country had the capacity to stage matches despite still emerging from an economic downturn

India refused to visit the tournament’s host, the country’s arch-rival Pakistan

Sri Lankan official said their country had the capacity to stage matches despite still emerging from an economic downturn