Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan next year

Asia Cup will be next held in Pakistan from April 17 to May 3 next year after a gap of two years, according to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The tournament was scheduled to be held in 2006 but was postponed due to an already-packed international schedule for the four Test playing nations.

"We could not hold the Cup in 2006 as the international calendar was packed. None of the Test playing teams had the time to squeeze in the tourney," said Ashraful Huq, chief executive of the ACC.

Referring to the 2010 Asian Games to be held in China, where Twenty20 cricket will be a part of it, Huq pointed out ACC's efforts to induct China into its fold. "The biggest job at hand is to get China to play cricket."

There would be eight teams, the four Test playing nations India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - as also four qualifiers from the continent.