LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Najam Sethi announced on Sunday that Emerging Asia Cup 2018 will be held in Pakistan next year.

Speaking in a press conference along with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Sethi said: ?five full-member ICC countries and one qualifier will play the tournament in next year April,? adding, ? I hope India will come to play the tournament.?

The Chairman PCB also said that the tournament will be held in more than one venue.

Speaking on the occasion, President Sri Lankan Cricket Board Thilanga Sumathipala said that Sri Lankans have good memories attached with Lahore city, as it won the cricket world cup here in 1996.

?We are happy to be here in Lahore. We are here to support good cricket, Pakistan is a big cricket-playing country which cant be ignored,? he said.

Sumathipala added that Pakistani government extended its support during the times of unrest in Sri Lanka.

?We have seen extraordinary security here. We will come again for our cricket fans here,? the board chief said. ?It's an honour to play in Pakistan. One wins and another looses in cricket but what matters is that brotherly relations should be maintained between both the countries.?