2006 Asia Cup Confirmed

[andrew_nixon]

It has been confirmed that the 2006 Asia Cup will take place in Pakistan in February 2006. The first round groups will be as follows:

Group 1

Pakistan
India
Oman

Group 2

Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
UAE

Oman will become the first affiliate member of the ICC to play an official ODI.

Group 2 looks the most likely for an upset, UAE could well beat Bangladesh, although it's still to early to tell.

 

[sohum]

Wow... I'm guessing the top 2 from each qualify to the semi's. So Pakistan are trying to get two Indo-Pak matches, if India and Pakistan both win their semi-final matches.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Wow... I'm guessing the top 2 from each qualify to the semi's. So Pakistan are trying to get two Indo-Pak matches, if India and Pakistan both win their semi-final matches.

Assuming the format is the same as last years tournament, the second round won't be a semi-final, it will be a round robin group of 4.

 

[rahulk666]

Wow... I'm guessing the top 2 from each qualify to the semi's. So Pakistan are trying to get two Indo-Pak matches, if India and Pakistan both win their semi-final matches.

Either India or Pakistan will have to beat Sri Lanka to get into the finals. So even 1 year before the tournament begins we can confidently say that the final will be between

Ind-Pak or Pak-SL or Ind-SL

and how annoying would it be to see Ind-Pak final in which the losing team in first round would win the the final.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Either India or Pakistan will have to beat Sri Lanka to get into the finals. So even 1 year before the tournament begins we can confidently say that the final will be between

Ind-Pak or Pak-SL or Ind-SL

Again, the second round is a round robin stage, not knockout.

 

[SaiSrini]

Either India or Pakistan will have to beat Sri Lanka to get into the finals. So even 1 year before the tournament begins we can confidently say that the final will be between

Ind-Pak or Pak-SL or Ind-SL

and how annoying would it be to see Ind-Pak final in which the losing team in first round would win the the final.

Why would the losing team in the first round win the final? Are you still going by that now controversial "match fixing" thing?

 

[jazz]

if you asked me today i would say Sri lanka and pakistan will get in the final

but the tournament is a long time away so India can imporove on thier performances for the last 7-8 months and challenge in the tournament.

pakistan may also hold the icc chamions trhy if india do not agree with the tax exumption

 

[sohum]

What if Bangladesh hits a purple patch and discovers they're the second-best team in the world. All they had needed to do was find that out. What if? I think I will only make predictions come 2006. Now it is too early to call.

 

[SaiSrini]

Watch out for India in 2006. Who knows? They might be in the league of Australia, consistently winning matches. Sounds like a dream rite? Anyways, as sohum says, let 2006 come!

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Oman??

 

[Ste]

What was the qualifying criteria from this competition that has UAE/Oman in the competition and UAE/Hong Kong in it last time?

Ste

 

[andrew_nixon]

The qualifying competition was last years ACC Trophy, which was won by the UAE, with Oman runners up.

The observant amongst you will have noticed that those two teams are also in this years ICC Trophy, as last years ACC Trophy was also one of the qualifiers for that.

The qualifying competition for the 2004 Asia Cup was the 2000 ACC Trophy which was won by the UAE, with Hong Kong second.

2004 ACC Trophy

2000 ACC Trophy

 

[vibs89]

Wow can't wait for the Asia Cup. Let's hope India come into the final and Sourav Gangully should came back in form otherwise if he doesn't perform then I think he should be out of team.