The Asia Cup 2023 is being held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and Nepal made history by making its debut in the continental event in the opening match. They became the seventh team to compete in this prestigious Asian cricket championship. Nepal’s progress in this sport should be recognised, as they worked hard and acquired T20 International and One-Day International (ODI) status within ten years.
At a time when the International Cricket Council (ICC) is attempting to engage more countries in the sport, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) can assist cricket’s global governing body in meeting its goal. It is no secret that the popularity of cricket has dropped in Sri Lanka as a result of their cricket team’s poor performance in international competition.
Given these circumstances, the ACC will need to step in to increase the sport’s popularity in Asia. After the 1990s, cricket gained a large following across the Asian continent, with fan bases in countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan attesting to this. Following the 2023 Asia Cup, the ACC should expand it to an eight-team competition and invite additional developing Asian cricketing nations to participate in this prestigious tournament.
Most Eligible Nations for Asia Cup 2023:
5. Kuwait:
Kuwait joined the ICC as an affiliate member in 1998. They played the ACC Trophy every year from 2000 to 2014. Their finest performance came in the competition, as they finished third in both the 2004 and 2014 editions of the tournament.
The West Asian cricketing nation also competed in the ACC Twenty20 Cup but never won the championship. Kuwait finished second in the 2020 Asia Cup Qualifier in the T20I format, losing to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final.
They qualified for the semi-finals of the 2023 ACC Men’s Premier Cup, which was held in Nepal in April-May. The semi-final game resulted in a tie, therefore ending Kuwait’s season and preventing them from competing in the Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
4. Malaysia:
Since 1967, Malaysia has been an associate member of the ICC. They have competed in seven World Cup Qualifier tournaments since 1979. From 2007 to 2015, the South East Asian cricket team competed in five editions of the ACC Twenty20 Cup, however, they have yet to win a trophy.
They reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. Malaysia hosted the Asia Cup Qualifiers in 2018 but failed to capitalise on home advantage, finishing sixth in the competition. They were placed in Group A of the 2023 ACC Men’s Premier Cup, alongside Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
They only managed four points, beating Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and finished third in their group. Increasing the number of teams in the Asia Cup could help Malaysia enhance their cricket by giving them the opportunity to play against quality teams like India and Pakistan and learn from them.
3. Oman:
Oman is an associate member of the ICC with ODI status. They were granted the status in 2014 and made their T20I debut against Afghanistan in July 2015. In April 2019, they made their ODI debut against Namibia at Windhoek’s Wanderers Cricket Ground.
Oman made news in 2015 after winning the ACC Twenty20 Cup. As a result of their triumph, they qualified for the 2015 ICC World Twenty 20 Qualifier, which was held in Ireland and Scotland. The 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier was held in Malaysia, and Hong Kong won the competition, with Oman finishing third.
Following the 2018 Asia Cup qualification, the Oman cricket team will compete in the continental competition’s qualification stage again in 2022. They disappointed their fans once again by losing all three games in the ACC Western Region T20 competition. Oman is aiming to progress as a cricketing nation, and giving them an opportunity to compete against developed cricketing teams in the Asia Cup could help them thrive faster.
2. The United Arab Emirates (UAE):
Since 1994, the United Arab Emirates has participated in international cricket. They were given the opportunity to play their first ODI against India in Sharjah in April 1994. The UAE made their World Cup debut in India in 1996. They did not fare well against any strong team in the competition, but they did beat the Dutch team in their group.
Following Bangladesh’s accession to full membership in the ICC, the UAE aimed to be the top team among the associate Asian teams. They also made their debut in the Asia Cup in 2004. They were placed in Group B, with India and the hosts, Sri Lanka. They couldn’t make an impact against either heavyweight, but their participation in the top Asian competition boosted their confidence.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup in 2008, and the UAE qualified for the competition once more. The affiliate team once again failed to impress, losing against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and being eliminated from the competition. Following the 2008 Asia Cup, the UAE was never invited to compete in another Asian cricket tournament. The ACC should consider raising the number of teams in the continental tournament in the upcoming edition of the tournament so that experienced sides like the UAE can play with top-tier Asian clubs.
1. Hong Kong:
Hong Kong joined the ICC as an associate member in 1969. They also competed in the first ACC Trophy in 1996 but did not go past the group stage. Hong Kong made its One-Day International (ODI) debut against Bangladesh in the 2004 Asia Cup in Colombo. They were eliminated in the first round of the Asia Cup after being thrashed by Bangladesh and the hosts, Sri Lanka.
Hong Kong returned to the continental tournament in 2008, however, their trip ended in the group stage after defeats to India and Pakistan. In 2018, they were given the opportunity to compete in the Asia Cup for the first time in ten years. Similarly to their last appearance, they were placed in Group A with India and Pakistan.
In the first game, the team demonstrated their mettle against a strong opponent. They put up a good fight against India while chasing 285. The match was won by India by 26 runs, however, Hong Kong received a lot of praise for their performance. In 2022, Hong Kong qualified for the continental tournament under the T20I format, however, they failed to advance for the fourth time in a row. Given the slow expansion of nations like Hong Kong and the UAE, the ACC should consider expanding the Asian Cup to an eight-team competition.
So, this was all about the eligible nations for Asia Cup 2023. Also read, 3 times when Indian bowling went weak against minnows.
