Women's Asia Cup 2022: Bangladesh to host tournament starting October 1
The Sylhet International Stadium in Bangladesh will host the 2022 Women's Asia Cup from October 1 to October 16, with seven teams participating in the tournament. According to ESPN Cricinfo, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) women's committee chairperson Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel confirmed the details.
The seven-team competition will take place after the 2022 Women's World Cup Qualifiers in the UAE. ESPN Cricinfo also reported that India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and the UAE are the competing nations besides the home side. They will arrive in the host country on September 27-28.
India are also the most successful side in the history of the tournament with six titles.
Chowdhury, also the BCB director, cited the venue's proximity to the airport and hotel as why they chose the Sylhet International Stadium. Chowdhury expressed full confidence in their nation's ability to deliver the event well after hosting several ICC events formerly.
He said:
"The proximity to the airport and the hotel where the seven teams are expected to stay makes the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium the best choice for the BCB. As host nation, Bangladesh has delivered several major men's and women's continental and world events in the past.
"This year, we are happy to welcome the Asian Cricket Council's Women's Asia Cup to our country for the first time, specifically to Sylhet, which was home to matches during the 2014 men's and women's T20 World Cups, too."
It's worth noting that no women's international matches have taken place in the sub-continent nation since Pakistan's tour of the country in 2018. The Asia Cup will also be the first time since the 2014 T20 World Cup that Sylhet will stage any international game.
Bangladesh beat India to clinch their maiden title in 2018
The hosts are also the defending champions, having beaten India in a nail-biting final in Kuala Lumpur in 2018. Rumana Ahmed clinched the Player of the Match award for her bowling figures of 4-0-22-2 and batting returns of 23 off 22 deliveries.
Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's 42-ball 56 went in vain.
Malaysia and UAE sealed their births for this edition after entering the final of the ten-team ACC Women's T20 Championship held in June. UAE eventually beat Malaysia in the decider by five wickets.