After Hong Kong defeated the UAE to qualify for the Asia Cup, the Associate side will be the only non-ODI nation that will be featuring in the main stage.

Hong Kong lost their ODI status when they finished behind Nepal, Scotland and the UAE in the World Cup Qualifiers in March. The three latter nations along with Netherlands secured ODI status until 2022.

That means when Hong Kong play India and Pakistan in Dubai on September 16 and 18, those matches will be classed as List A games unless the ICC grant them temporary ODI status just like they did in the 2004 and 2008 editions.

With the tournament beginning in Dubai on September 15, the ICC will have to make a decision quickly.

Just hours after Hong Kong beat the UAE by two wickets, there was already support for the sport’s governing body to allow ODI status for the minnows.

Former Australian batsman Dean Jones took to Twitter while Ireland batsman Kevin O’Brien also gave his view that the sport’s governing body should give the green light.