Asia Cup Brings Uncertainty as Pakistan Announces Tri-Series against Afghanistan, UAE

The forthcoming Asia Cup has fallen into a sea of uncertainty owing to the growing India-Pakistan border tensions. Initially set to be hosted by India in September this year, the fate of the tournament now seems uncertain. With political ties not getting any better and Pakistan not keen on going to India for the tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board is set to plan a backup. PCB has already initiated talks with Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates for an eventual tri-series in August as a contingency in case the Asia Cup is cancelled or postponed, according to reports.

Pakistan had previously embraced a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy that would enable them to bypass playing matches in India. The same model was hoped to be adopted for the Asia Cup but no agreement has been reached. Lacking any information regarding the fate of the tournament and because of the current diplomatic crises, the PCB is now considering other options to keep their players in good nick ahead of the prominent cricketing tournaments later in the year. The tri-series might be held in the UAE with the two other teams being Afghanistan and UAE along with Pakistan. Board sources have confirmed that talks have already begun among the three cricket boards.

The proposal for this tri-series is to cover the void that would be left in the Pakistan calendar if the Asia Cup does not occur as scheduled. August was initially meant to host an Afghanistan tour of Pakistan but now the tour could be substituted with this new proposal for a tri-series. Dubai has been shortlisted as a choice location as it provides neutral ground and has already conducted numerous international matches previously including past Asia Cup editions. The UAE is also closely associated with both Pakistan and Afghanistan cricket making it the perfect destination for such a series.

At the same time it is anticipated that the Asian Cricket Council will soon convene in order to finalize their decision regarding the future of the Asia Cup. The cricket head of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi and also the President of the ACC will play an active role in this procedure. During the council meeting, it is anticipated that he will share Pakistan's stance. Until now the Indian cricket board has not issued a clear indication of hosting the Asia Cup in India that has merely added to the doubt surrounding the tournament. If India does not consent to shifting the Asia Cup away from its home or permitting a neutral venue model like the Champions Trophy proposal then the tournament might not take place at all.

It is to be noted that the Asia Cup is a significant event in the schedule and is a key event for preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup. The tournament is to be conducted in the T20 format this time which is of particular interest for all the Asian teams. But if the tournament does not take place then teams such as Pakistan would find themselves searching for match practice in preparation for larger global tournaments. That is precisely why the tri-series is being suggested as a fall-back option to provide players with enough game time within a competitive setup.

The political strain between India and Pakistan has consistently overshadowed bilateral and multilateral cricket competitions. Their cricketing relations in recent years have been restricted to neutral venues hosting ICC tournaments or Asia Cup matches. Straight bilateral series haven't occurred for over a decade and this has complicated planning for regional tournaments such as the Asia Cup. Cricket enthusiasts in the subcontinent have become accustomed to this strained relationship but the ever-present threat to tournaments such as the Asia Cup remains disappointing.

PCB officials also talked of the potential of staging the tri-series in Pakistan in case the Asia Cup is suspended. In that scenario Afghanistan and UAE can travel to Pakistan to stage the series in August. This would also act as preparation for future commitments and aid in the maintenance of the team's momentum. But the ultimate call will lie based on how things go in the next few weeks and on what decision the ACC makes about the Asia Cup.

If the Asia Cup is held in the UAE then Pakistan may even play because they have already expressed a desire to play at neutral grounds. But if the tournament stays in India and there is no compromise then Pakistan's non-participation in the tournament looks quite likely. That would be a massive loss for the Asia Cup competitively in terms of viewership and commercial appeal because an India-Pakistan confrontation is usually the greatest attraction of the tournament.

The next few days are likely to provide more clarity as the ACC is likely to convene shortly. All the boards involved including India and Pakistan will present their opinions and the council will then have a final decision on whether to go ahead with the Asia Cup as scheduled make changes in the venues or cancel the tournament altogether. Cricket lovers all over Asia and the globe are holding their breaths to determine if the Asia Cup will last through this stage of political and logistical challenges.

While the PCB keeps grinding in the background to make sure that there is no gap in Pakistan's cricket schedule the final hope is that cricket diplomacy triumphs over political tension. The tri-series involving Afghanistan and UAE can perhaps be a viable substitute but it will never match the thrill of a full-fledged Asia Cup with all leading Asian sides. For the moment Pakistan is gearing up for all eventualities and is committed to keeping its players engaged and available for whatever happens next in the cricketing schedule.