Deliberations underway to change Asia Cup 2023 venue due to rains in Sri Lanka

Lahore: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) held deliberations on potential change in the venue for the Super 4 stages of the Asia Cup due to persistent heavy rainfall in Colombo, the Indian media reported on Sunday.

While the first match in Colombo is scheduled for September 9, the ACC is expressing concerns about the bleak weather forecasts.

Teams participating in the tournament have been informed about the unfavorable weather conditions in Sri Lanka's capital. As a result, alternative locations like Pallekele and Dambulla are being considered.

With two more matches yet to be played in Pakistan, the ACC is expected to reach a final decision on the venue within the next 24-48 hours.

The ACC's decision to hold the Asia Cup during Sri Lanka's rainy season faced significant criticism.

It is worth noting that Sri Lanka became a co-host for the 2023 Asia Cup after India declined to travel to Pakistan for the event. A hybrid model suggested by Sethi was adopted as a compromise, with four matches of the Asia Cup 2023 being played in Pakistan and the remaining matches in Sri Lanka. This decision came under scrutiny due to the weather-related disruptions that affected the tournament in Sri Lanka.

Najam Sethi, the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, expressed disappointment following the cancellation of the highly anticipated Pakistan-India match in the 2023 Asia Cup due to rain at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Sethi disclosed that during his tenure, he strongly advocated for hosting the Asia Cup matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to avoid weather-related interruptions.

"How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in Sep 2022 or when IPL was played there in April 2014 and Sep 2020. Politics over sport. Unforgivable," Sethi posted on the social media platform X.

How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in…

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 2, 2023