Afghanistan will take on Hong Kong on Tuesday in the opening match of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup, a tournament that has come together only after weeks of political uncertainty and last-minute maneuvering.
The competition, featuring eight teams for the first time, was thrown into doubt over the summer as geopolitical tensions once again threatened to spill onto the cricket field.
India’s sports ministry gave its clearance for teams to play against Pakistan only late last month, paving the way for the Asian Cricket Council to confirm that the event would go ahead.
India had originally been scheduled to host but, in keeping with a pattern established in recent years, the tournament was shifted to the United Arab Emirates, where large South Asian communities provide ready-made crowds and neutral ground for matches involving Pakistan and India. Dubai will stage 11 games and Abu Dhabi eight.
A complicated backdrop
Cricket tournaments in Asia have increasingly become hostage to regional politics. The Champions Trophy held earlier this year in Pakistan was announced just two months before its start, and the 2023 World Cup schedule was released only 100 days before the opening match. This Asia Cup has followed a similar trajectory, with its fate hanging in the balance until late July.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups. Group A features India, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, while Group B includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. The top two teams from each group will advance to a Super Four stage, leading to a final.
India and Pakistan, perennial rivals, are scheduled to meet on Sept. 14 in Dubai, with the prospect of further encounters if both sides advance.
Afghanistan’s preparations
For Afghanistan, Tuesday’s match offers a chance to build momentum in a tournament that could serve as vital preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup. The team enters the Asia Cup after a tri-nation series in Sharjah against Pakistan and the UAE, designed to help players adjust to conditions in the Emirates.
Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s head coach, said his squad had benefited from the recent run of games. “We have five matches under our belt,” he told reporters. “We will be trying to get a victory against Hong Kong, and since it’s our job, we will make sure we play really well.”
Afghanistan has shown flashes of potential in previous Asia Cup editions, winning four of their eight T20 matches since the competition adopted the shorter format in 2016. Hong Kong, by contrast, has yet to win a match in the T20 Asia Cup, though the team arrives with a new coach, former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kaushal Silva, and a new captain, Yasim Murtaza.
The Asia Cup, first held in 1984, has alternated between the one-day and T20 formats in recent years to align with the global cricket calendar. India, eight-time winners of the 50-over version, also won the inaugural T20 edition in 2016. Sri Lanka are the defending champions after beating Pakistan in the 2022 final.
