5 Cricketing nations that could make Asia Cup more competitive

1. Hong Kong

Hong Kong became an associate member of the ICC in 1969. In 1996, they also played in the first ACC Trophy but failed to qualify beyond the group stage. Hong Kong made their ODI debut against Bangladesh in the 2004 Asia Cup in Colombo. In their maiden Asia Cup edition, they failed to progress to the next round after getting hammered by Bangladesh and the hosts, Sri Lanka.

In 2008, Hong Kong participated in the continental tournament again and this time, their journey ended in the group round after their defeats against India and Pakistan. They got a chance to be a part of the Asia Cup again after 10 years in 2018. Similarly like in their previous appearance, they were placed with India and Pakistan in Group A.

For the first, the team showcased their mettle against a quality side. Contesting against India, they put up a tough fight while chasing 285. In the end, the match ended in India’s favour by 26 runs but Hong Kong received a lot of appreciation for their performance. In 2022, Hong Kong qualified for the continental tournament played in the T20I format and this time, they failed for the fourth consecutive time to reach the next round. Noting the slow growth of nations such as Hong Kong and the UAE, the ACC should think about making the Asian Cup an eight-team competition.