The Afro-Asia Cup could be back on the ICC calendar after the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) took format steps for the revival of the tournament according to a report on Tuesday (Nov 5).
The Afro-Asia Cup has not been played since 2007 after it was revoked from the Future Tour Program (FTP) of the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is learned that the ACA set up a six-member interim committee to restructure the ACA and increase the number of competitive opportunities.
Afro-Asia Cup set for revival
“The Afro-Asia Cup, apart from the cricket, brings the much-needed financial input to the organisation, and the appetite is huge from both ends,” Tavengwa Mukuhlani, interim chair of the ACA, who is also the Zimbabwe Cricket Chair, said at a press conference.
“We have had conversations with our counterparts within the Asia Cricket Council, and obviously our African contingents, they want the Afro-Asia Cup to be revived.”
What is the Afro-Asia Cup?
In 2005, ACA and ACC came together with a joint venture contesting an ODI series between Africa’s best players and Asia’s best players. In 2005 a three-match ODI series took place between Africa XI vs Asia XI in South Africa aiming to promote talent and bring the best players together. Players from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India were the main feature of the Asia XI while the Africa XI was mostly of the South African side also consisting of players from Zimbabwe and Kenya.
The inaugural edition ended 1-1 with the final match getting washed out while in 2007 Asia XI clean sweeped Africa XI to win 3-0. The tournament was set to take place in 2009, however, a congested fixture list and postponement of the 2009 Champions Trophy saw the tournament get called off.
While no date was finalised for the relaunch of the Afro-Asia Cup, it is expected that it could return only after the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June 2025 as the cricketing calendar is congested.
