India is set to host the Men’s Asia Cup next year. The tournament is going to be played in the T20 format. At the same time, Bangladesh has been confirmed as the host for the 2027 edition according to The Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI) from the Asian Cricket Council for sponsorship rights.
“‘Men’s Asia Cup Tournament’ means the biennial senior men’s cricket tournament organized and administered by the ACC involving designated Members, and shall include participation by the teams from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and one Non-Test playing Member of ACC selected through qualifying events,” the ACC stated in its IEOI statement.
India will host the Asia Cup after 35 years, having last hosted the tournament in 1990 where they were the champions beating Sri Lanka in the finals. India has won eight titles in total, making them the most successful team in the history of the tournament followed by Sri Lanka with 6 titles.
The Asia Cup next year will again be played in the T20 format which is in line with the T20 World Cup in 2026. Since 2016, the tournament has been played in the T20 format. The format is mostly opted according to the format of any upcoming global event. Similarly, the 2027 edition is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh and will be played in the ODI format considering there is a 50-over World Cup in South Africa in the same year.
Each edition will have 13 matches. Apart from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, there will be a sixth participant picked via a qualifying tournament. The tournament would be a wonderful platform for the Asian sides to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will also be played in India.