The postponement of the six-nation Asia Cup will hamper the development of cricket in the region and deprive the sport of much-needed revenue, an official said Sunday.

"It (postponement) is a significant loss to cricket in the continent, because the finances generated were due to be spent on development," Ashraful Haq, chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council, told this news agency from Kuala Lumpur.

The biennial event scheduled in Pakistan early next year was postponed last week over India's complaint that their players faced a gruelling schedule and it would not be feasible to hold the tournament.

Defending champions Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Oman were due to take part in the event scheduled from February 16-28.

Hosts Pakistan, who have yet to hold the event since it began in 1982, agreed to India's request to postpone the limited-overs tournament.