Asia Cup shemozzle could have been avoided
The ongoing Asia Cup is turning into an event of bickering and squabbles with more drama off the pitch than on it. This was inevitable the moment the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was announced as the host last year. India refused to go to Pakistan on security grounds and that triggered a bitter turf war between the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) and the PCB.
Finally, the “hybrid model” was accepted and Sri Lanka was chosen as the favoured destination for India and its matches. As the co-host, Pakistan would be hosting four matches, with the remaining to be shared between Pallekele and Colombo. What made matters more complicated is the season in which Sri Lanka is hosting the matches—it is still monsoon (when the island’s west coast and hills get rain).
All three matches in Pallekele were affected by rain, and the India-Pakistan game was washed out. With more predictions of rain in Colombo, the threat of a match being abandoned remains. The PCB wanted to change the venue (to drier Hambantota) and even claimed that its request to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was agreed to but was shelved without the PCB’s knowledge at the last moment.
Though shifting venues would have been ideal, doing it midway through a tournament is not prudent. Sri Lanka doesn’t have too many venues and it needs time to prepare one. For fans who are travelling, this could be a nightmare. To solve the matter quickly, the ACC has kept a reserve day (September 10, Sunday) for the Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours match between India and Pakistan, sparking another controversy. This will be unfair to the other teams who are featuring in the Super Fours, where the top two teams qualify for the final.
The entire episode seems absurd and could have been avoided if all stakeholders had taken into consideration the weather before finalising the venues. The PCB and ACC should have communicated better instead of blaming each other. Rather than thinking about only one or two nations, the ACC—as the umbrella organisation for cricket in the continent—should be fair to everyone.
In a bid to normalise the cricketing ties ahead of hosting Pakistan for the World Cup in India, a BCCI party comprising president Roger Binny and vice-president Rajiv Shukla visited Pakistan following PCB’s invitation last week. Perhaps it’s time to keep politics aside and concentrate on the sport.