How Asia Cup has expanded to serve as prelude to ICC world events

THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the 17th edition of the Asia Cup for the fifth time, and for the third time in the last four editions largely due to the tension that exists between India and Pakistan. In fact the hosts of the 2025 edition is India, but due to Pakistan not being given the permission to travel to that country UAE has become the neutral venue.

- Sa'adi Thawfeeq

There was a time when the front runners for the Asia Cup were just three countries India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who have shared the spoils with India winning it on 8 occasions, Sri Lanka 6 and Pakistan twice, even though there were other teams in competition. That was when the Asia Cup matches were 50-overs a side.

But over time with the advent of T20 cricket other associate countries have joined making the tournament more competitive and attractive.

Till 2014 the Asia Cup was played in a 50-over format. In 2015 after the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was downsized by the ICC it was announced that the Asia Cup would be played in ODI and T20I formats. Thus in 2016, the first tournament in T20 format was played between five teams ahead of the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. It was hosted by Bangladesh who reached the final but lost to India by 8 wickets.