The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is reportedly considering moving the Asia Cup from Pakistan to a new country, with Sri Lanka emerging as the frontrunner to host the tournament. The decision comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had made it clear that the Indian team would not travel to Pakistan for the continental championship, demanding that the event be moved to a neutral venue.
Last year, Sri Lanka failed to host the Asia Cup due to an economic crisis, as a result of which the tournament was shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, this year, the island nation is the top contender to host the tournament.
The ACC president and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, had earlier communicated that India would not travel to Pakistan over safety issues and worked in the direction to move the tournament out of Pakistan. Pakistan, on the other hand, had proposed a hybrid model, with India playing its matches at an offshore venue and Pakistan hosting the remaining games at home.
Notably, India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since 2013 due to strained political tensions between the two countries. The last time India visited Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan's last visit to India was for the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. The two teams last played each other at the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup in Australia.