Six-nation Asia Cup begins today in UAE

The Asia Cup 2018 is beginning today in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where six Asian nations are participating in the 14th edition of the Cup.

This tournament was earlier scheduled to be played in India but due to its tense political relations with Pakistan it has been shifted to the UAE.

The Asia Cup was established in 1983 when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was founded as a measure to promote goodwill between Asian countries. It was originally scheduled to be held every two years but it could not be regularly played.

After the first Asia Cup was held in 1984 in Sharjah, UAE, India boycotted the 1986 tournament due to strained cricketing relations with Sri Lanka. Pakistan boycotted the 1990-91 tournament due to strained political relations with India. The 1993 tournament was cancelled due to strained political relations between India and Pakistan.

Later in 2008, the ACC announced to hold the tournament biannually and the International Cricket council (ICC) ruled out that all matches played in the Asia Cup have official status of One-day Internationals.

After downsizing the ACC in 2015, it was announced by the ICC that Asia Cup events from 2016 will be played on rotation basis between ODI and Twenty20 International format. The 2016 event was the first contest played in the T20I format as the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.

However, the Asia Cup has so far been played 13 times since 1984, twelve in ODI and one in T20I formats. India and Sri Lanka are the most successful teams in the ODI format, having won the Cup five times each whereas Pakistan won it twice. India won its only T20I edition in 2016. India won the tournament six times (five in ODI and once in the T20 format).

The 14th edition of the Asia Cup is beginning today (Saturday) with the match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Asia Cup 2018 is being played in the ODI format in the UAE where six countries, including a new member Hong Kong, are participating and they have been divided into two groups. Group A consists of Pakistan, India and minnows Hong Kong while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are placed in Group B.

The top two sides in each stage will progress to the Super Four stage and the final will be played on September 28.

Pakistan will play their first match against Hong Kong on Sunday, September 16 before facing arch rivals India on Wednesday, September 19.