The ACC notified all stakeholders that the tournament will proceed as originally planned, with all games to be held in Colombo.
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has been raising concerns about the organization of the Asia Cup 2023 due to the persistent rain affecting the Sri Lanka leg of the tournament. The continental event is being played using a 'hybrid module' proposed by the PCB, which entails playing four out of the thirteen games in Pakistan and the remaining nine in Sri Lanka. This approach was adopted after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) declined to send Team India to Pakistan, citing diplomatic reasons. Consequently, India had to establish their base in Sri Lanka for the entire tournament.
However, the decision appears to be compromising the true spirit of the continental championship, as the weather has become a determining factor in every match. Numerous media reports have indicated that the Asia Cricket Council (ACC), under the leadership of Jay Shah, is considering relocating the Super Four matches from Colombo to Hambantota in order to avoid any disruptions caused by rain. Surprisingly, on Tuesday, the ACC notified all stakeholders that the tournament will proceed as originally planned, with all games to be held in Colombo.
Sethi was irritated by the sudden change in decision and expressed his frustration towards the Shah-led ACC. He questioned whether India was afraid of losing to Pakistan. Additionally, the former PCB chief pointed out the contrasting weather forecasts between Colombo and Hambantota, highlighting the dominance of rain expected in the capital city of Sri Lanka in the upcoming week.
“BCCI/ACC informed PCB today that they had decided to shift next India-Pak match from Colombo to Hambantota because of rain forecasts. Within one hour they changed their mind and announced Colombo as the venue. What’s going on? Is India afraid to play and lose to Pakistan ? Look at the rain forecast,” wrote Sethi.
Earlier on Tuesday, the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Jay Shah, released a detailed statement regarding the selection of venues for the ongoing Asia Cup and explained why the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was not considered an ideal choice. Shah highlighted that none of the stakeholders expressed willingness to host the entire tournament in Pakistan due to concerns over the country's security and economic situation.
“All the full members, media rights holders, and in-stadia rights holders were initially hesitant to commit to hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan. This reluctance stemmed from concerns related to the security and economic situation prevailing in the country,” Shah said in a statement.
“In my capacity as ACC President, I was committed to finding a viable and mutually agreeable solution. To this end, I had accepted the hybrid model that was proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in collaboration with the ACC management.
“However, it’s important to note that the leadership of the PCB underwent several changes, and this resulted in some back-and-forth negotiations, particularly regarding crucial aspects such as tax exemption and insurance for matches,” it added.
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