Modalities of 2014 Asia Cup discussed in ACC meet

Chennai: Top members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Saturday discussed the modalities of the 2014 Asia Cup tournament, which is to be hosted by Bangladesh for a second straight time, in February-March next year.

The tournament, to be held from February 24 to March 8, has gone to Bangladesh after India, who had earlier agreed to host it, backed out citing a packed international schedule. Bangladesh had hosted the last edition of the tournament in 2012. The tournament host was announced during ACC`s meeting in April and the details were discussed in today`s meeting here, according to ACC sources. In the meeting, the BCCI also explored the possibility of hosting an ODI tri-series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka later this year as back-up plan for India`s trouble-hit tour of South Africa in November and December. A more clearer picture on this will emerge after Monday`s meeting between BCCI`s secretary Sanjay Patel and South Africa Cricket chief Haroon Lorgat in Dubai. "In principle they have decided to hold the tri-series with Pakistan and Sri lanka in December, but this will depend on Monday`s meet between BCCI`s secretary Sanjay Patel and South Africa Cricket chief Haroon Lorgat in Dubai," the source said said. The officials from the three boards were present at the meeting, chaired by BCCI`s president-in-exile N Srinivasan. PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed, SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga and CEO of ACC Syed Ashraful Haq were there in the meeting. The ACC is headed by Srinivasan. The ACC meet assumed significance as it was scheduled just two days before the proposed meeting between Lorgat and Patel on the sidelines of an ICC board meeting to resolve the impasse over India`s tour of South Africa. PTI