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India are likely to send a second-string side to Asia Cup 2021 owing to their tight international schedule, according to the Times of India.
The 2021 Asia Cup is slated to be held in Sri Lanka in June this year. India are also scheduled to face New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from June 18-22 in England.
However, amid the busy schedule and Covid-19 restrictions, India are likely to stay back in the United Kingdom for the five-match Test series against England, which begins on August 4.
A source was quoted as saying in a TOI report:
"There's no other choice. We can't risk the preparation for the series in England. And cricketers can't twice undergo quarantine. If the Asia Cup happens, India will have no option but to send a second-string squad.”
According to the report, the Indian team will fly to the UK in the first week of June, following the conclusion of the 2021 edition of the India Premier League (IPL 2021). They will undergo a 14-day quarantine before taking part in the WTC final.
Team India are currently on a high, having beaten Australia in Australia and England in India in consecutive Test series. They are now preparing to face England in a five-match T20I series.
Asia Cup 2021 to be held in the T20 format
Asia Cup 2021, if held, will be played in the T20 format as teams prepare for the T20 World Cup later this year in India. The Asia Cup was last held in the shortest format in 2016 in Bangladesh.
The event was supposed to be held last year, but it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has proposed organizing the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. As per some media reports, BCCI and the ACC are in discussions to finalize details of the whole tournament.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah was elected president of the ACC following the body's annual general meeting, held virtually earlier this year. Shah replaced BCB president Nazmul Hassan and is the youngest administrator to be appointed to the post.
India are the most successful side in the Asia Cup, with seven titles (six ODI and one in T20) while Sri Lanka have won five editions.
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