The ACC Emerging Women’s Asia Cup, originally scheduled to begin on June 6, has been postponed due to heavy rains in Sri Lanka, not because of any withdrawal by the BCCI, as some earlier reports suggested. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has confirmed that new dates will be announced soon.
BCCI Denies Pullout
Initial reports falsely claimed that India was reluctant to participate due to military tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to speculation that the BCCI had pulled out, prompting the postponement. However, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia firmly denied these rumors, calling them baseless.
“Since this morning, it has come to our notice that some news items about BCCI’s decision not to participate in the Asia Cup and Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, both ACC events. Such news are devoid of any truth, as till now, the BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding the ensuing ACC events, let alone writing anything to the ACC. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and subsequent England series, both men and women,” Saikia told The Times of India.
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ACC Confirms Postponement After SLC Cites Weather and Health Concerns
Later, it was officially clarified that the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) had requested the postponement due to severe rains and a chikungunya outbreak that is spreading faster than anticipated in the region. The ACC accepted the request and announced the postponement on its official Twitter handle.
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In a formal statement, ACC President Mohsin Raza Naqvi expressed concern and reiterated the importance of the tournament:
“The ACC is committed to providing opportunities for young women cricketers to develop their skills and compete at the highest level. We understand the strategic significance of this tournament in shaping the future of women’s cricket in Asia, and we will work diligently to reschedule the event at the earliest possible date.”
The tournament’s original opener featured India A vs Pakistan A, but with the postponement, a new schedule is expected to be released. The tournament will still include all eight teams: India A, Pakistan A, Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, UAE, Nepal, Malaysia, and hosts Hong Kong.
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