Pakistan to host 2006 Asia Cup
Pakistan are the next hosts of the six-nation Asia Cup
Cricinfo staff
11-May-2005
The Asian Cricket Council has unveiled Pakistan as the next hosts of the six-nation Asia Cup, which will take place in February 2006. It is the first time they will have hosted the competition.
The two-week tournament begins on February 14, and will feature two pools of three teams. The first will be made up of Pakistan, India and Oman, while the second will include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.
"The full programme will be announced shortly," said Ashrafaul Haq, the ACC's chief executive. "Since the normalisation of the Indo-Pak relations last year, Asian cricket is flourishing, and the better relations augurs well for Asian cricket."
The first-round matches will be played at Rawalpindi and Karachi, while the second round and the final will be played in Lahore. Sri Lanka, who hosted the last competition, are also the current holders, having beaten India by 25 runs in the final in Colombo.