Modalities of 2014 Asia Cup discussed in ACC meet

Top members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), on Saturday, discussed the modalities of the 2014 Asia Cup tournament, which is to be hosted by Bangladesh for a second straight time, in February-March next year.

The tournament, to be held from February 24 to March 8, has gone to Bangladesh after India, who had earlier agreed to host it, backed out citing a packed international schedule.

Bangladesh had hosted the last edition of the tournament in 2012. The tournament host was announced during ACC's meeting in April and the details were discussed in Saturday’s meeting in Chennai, according to ACC sources.

In the meeting, the BCCI also explored the possibility of hosting an ODI tri-series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka later this year as back-up plan for India's trouble-hit tour of South Africa in November and December.

A more clearer picture on this will emerge after Monday's meeting between BCCI's secretary Sanjay Patel and South Africa Cricket chief Haroon Lorgat in Dubai.

"In principle they have decided to hold the tri-series with Pakistan and Sri lanka in December, but this will depend on Monday's meet between BCCI's secretary Sanjay Patel and South Africa Cricket chief Haroon Lorgat in Dubai," the source said.

The officials from the three boards were present at the meeting, chaired by BCCI's president-in-exile N Srinivasan.

PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed, SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga and CEO of ACC Syed Ashraful Haq were there in the meeting. The ACC is headed by Srinivasan.

The ACC meet assumed significance as it was scheduled just two days before the proposed meeting between Lorgat and Patel on the sidelines of an ICC board meeting to resolve the impasse over India's tour of South Africa.

The BCCI has been in disagreement with CSA over the number of matches to be played in the series in November-December. India will play a short series against the West Indies in November and the New Zealand tour will start from January 19.

If the tri-series takes place in between these two tours, then the South African board would be left with no other option but to host India for two Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20 international from December and ending with the New Year's Test.

The tri-series would lead to rescheduling of Pakistan's home series against Sri Lanka in the UAE in December-January. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are set to play two T20 internationals, five ODIs and three Tests from December 11 to January 20. The limited-overs series concludes on December 27.

The PCB wouldn't mind such series involving India and Sri Lanka as it would generate a huge amount of advertisement revenues and benefit all three boards.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board's Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad, who was here to take part in the ACC meeting, welcomed the Indian Government's decision to allow Faisalabad Wolves to take part in the Champions League Twenty20 event beginning September 17.

"It is a good decision. It will take us in the right direction. We are very happy about it and it may lead to better relations between the two countries in the future", he said.

The Faisalabad Wolves would play their qualifying matches in Mohali with three other teams, Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL team), Otago Volts (New Zealand) and Kandurata Maroons (Sri

Lanka).

The Faisalabad team's participation in the CLT20 was confirmed until the LoC issues arose and that led to tensions between the two countries.

The Sialkot Stallions, champions of Pakistan's domestic league last year, had taken part in the qualifying round of the CLT20 which was held in South Africa last year.

 Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Reuters