Pakistan awarded Asia Cup 2020 hosting rights

In an ACC meeting held in Singapore, it was confirmed that Pakistan will be hosting the Asia Cup 2020 in the month of September, two months before the T20 World Cup in Australia.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani and Managing Director Wasim Khan attended the meeting, in which officials of the cricket boards of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were also present.  There is a high chance that the tournament will be held in a neutral venue, as a result of the diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the Pakistan will try to convince the other nations to play on their soil.

"Pakistan told the delegates at the ACC meeting held in Singapore that they would host the Asia Cup at home but a final decision on the venue would be taken after consultation with other members of the ACC and keeping in mind the prevailing security and political situation around that time in Pakistan," a said PCB sources after the meeting.

“If conditions were not conducive to have the Asia Cup in Pakistan, the PCB would host it at a neutral venue.” added the unknown source.

The tournament was a 50-over format until the last time, when the ACC decided to make it a T20 format.

India won the the trophy a record 7 times and is also the defending champions. They beat Bangladesh convincingly to be reigned champions for the 7th time. On the other hand, the last time Pakistan won, was also against Bangladesh in 2012, where the Tigers lost the final by two runs in a heart-breaking final in Dhaka.