Sri Lanka unlikely to host Asia Cup 2022 - Reports

Sri Lankan media reports have revealed that Sri Lankan Cricket has withdrawn from hosting the Asia Cup 2022 tournament. The cricket board of Sri Lanka was supposed to host the Asia Cup 2022, scheduled to start on August 27. However, the nation is in a massive financial crisis and, as a result, the board seems to have withdrawn itself from hosting the tournament. The media reports revealed that they are in talks with the cricket council of Asia to find an alternative venue.

The cricket board of the country was also planning to host its own franchise-based league from August 21 and it has been postponed too. The people of the country have been in the midst of chaos for a long time now and they have all the support of former cricket greats of the nation. The reports revealed that they are in talks with the cricket board of Emirates and UAE could end up being the alternative venue instead of Sri Lanka.

"A decision to hold the event in the United Arab Emirates hasn’t been finalized yet. The venue could, however, be any Asian country, including India. Sri Lanka will reportedly cricket board of UAE, requesting to provide a venue where it can host the event," the report revealed. It is now up to the cricket board of Asia to decide the venue. We'll have to wait and see if the UAE will host the Asia Cup 2022.

“As per Sri Lankan media, the cricket board of Sri Lanka informed the cricket council of Asia about its decision, maintaining that it is ‘not in a position’ to organize the Asia Cup cricket tournament in the country due to the current political and economic situation of the country,” the report added. The Asia Cup this year will be played in a T20 format ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan in the first Test, thanks to Abdullah Shafique's 160* and Babar Azam's 55. The Island nation would look to bounce back in the next Test match.