If India qualify WTC final, Asia Cup 2021 will be postponed

PCB CEO Wasim Khan also said that it looks like India will reach the finals of the WTC, so the Asia Cup needs to be postponed.

Karachi [Pakistan]: Asia Cup was scheduled to be played in 2020 but was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic and now it has been confirmed that the tournament can further be postponed if India qualifies for the World Test Championship final. Asia Cup and WTC Final are slated to take place in June this year.

"Asia Cup was set to go last year but it got postponed to this year. Right now, it looks like Asia Cup won't be going ahead this year as the WTC finals are set to go ahead in June. Sri Lanka had said that they would try to host the tournament in June," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani told reporters in Karachi during a press conference.

"The dates are clashing. We think the tournament would not be going ahead, and we might have to push the tournament to 2023," he added.

PCB CEO Wasim Khan also said that it looks like India will reach the finals of the WTC, so the Asia Cup needs to be postponed.

"It looks like India has reached the finals and they will clash against New Zealand. This is why the Asia Cup set to be played in Sri Lanka won't go ahead. We are waiting for confirmation but if it does not go ahead, we are planning for the future," said Khan during a virtual press conference.

Mani also said that the PCB has sent a letter addressed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to get details about the issuance of visas from India for the T20 World Cup, slated to be held later in the year.

"India is set to host T20 World Cup in October-November this year. I have told the board that we want written confirmation from India that our fans, journalists, and players will get visas. I have a meeting with ICC and I will raise this point once again," said Mani.

The PCB has asked India for visa assurances for their players, support staff, fans, and media. Mani also said that if India fails to provide assurance then the T20 World Cup needs to be shifted somewhere else.

"The ICC has said that the assurance will come by March. If we do not get the assurance, then the tournament needs to be moved. We have a visa problem, Covid-19 situation also needs to be looked at. The ICC has made a contingency plan that if T20 World Cup cannot be played in India, then it will go ahead in the UAE," said Mani.

"The ICC management has said that the decision needs to be finalised by March 31," he added.