Does the Asia Cup continue to be the Asia Cup if it is not necessarily about identifying the best cricket team from the continent but more about getting India and Pakistan to play each other potentially thrice? The format of the 2018 Asia Cup, of which India are the host nation, has ensured that India will play all its matches in Dubai irrespective of results. We would play Sri Lanka first and if we won and played well (against Afghanistan), we would be group champions and play the runners-up of Group A. I think it should be even for all the teams, whether it’s India or Pakistan. I don’t know what the Asian Cricket Council has done about it.”Since India and Pakistan cannot play each other bilaterally because of the political climate, and Pakistan’s players would not be allowed to travel to India to play in an Asia Cup, India is hosting the Asia Cup in Dubai, for themselves, and in Abu Dhabi, for the others who make up the tournament.

Source: Economic Times September 20, 2018 17:26 UTC