Asia Cup 2022 venue officially changed from Sri Lanka to UAE

The announcement came on Wednesday from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

In a press release, the ACC announced that the event will take place from August 27th to September 11th. It added that Sri Lanka will maintain hosting rights for the tournament, although the United Arab Emirates is the new venue.

Sri Lanka failed to repay its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF with a view to a possible bailout.

The island has almost exhausted its already limited gas reserves, with the government shutting down non-essential offices and schools to reduce travel and save fuel.

It should be noted that a few days ago, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had already declared that the UAE will host the event.

“Asia Cup will be in the UAE, as this is the only place where there will be no rains,” Ganguly told reporters after the Apex Council meeting in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, earlier in July, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) supported Sri Lanka to host the upcoming Asia Cup.

All six teams were divided into two groups: Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh in a pool. In the meantime, India, Pakistan, and the Qualifier will be placed in the other pool.

The United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuwait will be in the running for the final place in the qualifiers.

The tournament will be played in a T20 format with the aim of helping teams prepare for the next ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.