The Asian Cricket Council has indicated that Bangladesh will remain the host of the Asia Cup cricket competition due to start on February 25.
Amid fears that the tournament might be rescheduled or played elsewhere, it is welcome news that the ACC has confirmed that the event is going to go ahead in Bangladesh.
The sports body rightly had to review security plans for the tournament in the light of the political situation. Although the West Indies Under-19s team withdrew from their tour in December after an explosion near their hotel, the recent hosting of New Zealand for Test and T20 matches in October and November shows that this tournament can still be successfully held. The ACC’s decision will no doubt prove popular with spectators.
For the country’s millions of cricket fans, there is the added bonus that this year’s event, which is due to end on March 8, will also feature Afghanistan as a 5th team in the tournament.
The Asia Cup is also of course a precursor this year to the ICC T20 World Cup due to start in Bangladesh one week later on March 16. This makes it even more important to fans that this year’s Asia Cup can go ahead safely. At its best, sport is a unifying force that brings communities and countries together and it will be good for the tournament to go ahead in this spirit.