Outgoing Asian Cricket Council CEO Syed Ashraful Haq revealed that the Asia Cup "is set to undergo a radical change and will be a Twenty20 competition in 2016 for the first time," according to Mazher Arshad of CRICKET.com.
The ACC "is to be wound down by June 30 and its operations absorbed" by the Int'l Cricket Council, "prompting fears the Asia Cup tournament could be disbanded." However, Haq confirmed that "not only would the tournament continue every two years, it would be revamped to include more Associate nations and mirror the format of the World Cup event to follow."
Haq confirmed reports the ACC's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur "would close on June 30." He said that the 2016 Asia Cup "would be held early next year as a prelude to the ICC World Twenty20," with the latter to be hosted by India from March 11-April 3.
It would then revert to a 50-over tournament in '18 ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England and be played as a Twenty20 competition again in '20. Haq suggested "the change in format could also see two Associate nations join India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the tournament." He added,
"There may be one or two teams from Associate nations as well. They could join India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the main tournament after playing a qualifying round" (CRICKET.com, 4/16).
