Sri Lanka are the reigning Asia Cup champions

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Following a meeting in Singapore, it was decided that Bangladesh would host the Asia Cup for the third time in a row.

The 2016 edition of the tournament, which will run from February 24 to March 6, will feature Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and an Associate nation.

Since the World Twenty20 will be held in India in March, it was decided that this edition of the Asia Cup would be the first one to have Twenty20 matches as well.

This is the fifth time that Bangladesh have hosted the Asia Cup as the tournament was also held in the country in 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2014.

“Pakistan raised the point that Bangladesh should host next year’s Asia Cup and everyone agreed,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan told reporters in Dhaka. “Four Test nations will get direct entry while one Associate nation will come through the qualifying tournament. We also discussed whether there can be more cricket at the Under-19 level between the Asian countries.”

Afghanistan, Oman, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates will face each other in a qualifying competition to earn the Associate nation spot in the tournament.