The outcome of the Super 4 match between the two sides on Sunday hangs in the balance following the cancellation of the opening Asia Cup 2023 match between India and Pakistan due to rain. Only one potential inning in the group game was played, with Pakistan not getting to see a single delivery after India gave them a 267-run goal to reach. And now, Najam Sethi, a former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has said that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to move the India vs. Pakistan Super-4 game from Colombo to Hambantota. Scroll down to read PCB chairman accuses the BCCI and ACC of the venue change.
PCB chairman accuses the BCCI and ACC on the venue change
Due to the terrible weather in several areas of Sri Lanka, a potential venue change for the Super-4 games was on the table. Sethi, however, asserted that although the BCCI and ACC debated moving the Indo-Pak match from Colombo to Hambantota, they ultimately opted against doing so.
Sethi shared a few images showing the divergent climates in the two cities, emphasizing how Colombo has an 89% probability of rain on Sunday while Hambantota just has a 12% chance. Yet the BCCI and ACC chose to preserve Colombo as the site of the illustrious match.
In a post shared on X, previously called Twitter, Najam Sethi said, “BCCI/ACC told PCB today that due to rain projections, they have chosen to move the next India-Pak match from Colombo to Hambantota. They declared Colombo as the site an hour later after changing their minds. What is happening? Is India reluctant to play Pakistan and suffer a defeat? Look at the rain forecast,”
It’s noteworthy to note that all of the remaining matches for the Asia Cup 2023 are slated to take place in Colombo, except the first Super 4 game between Pakistan and Bangladesh, which will take place in Lahore.
For the uninitiated, Zaka Ashraf, the president of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), reportedly urged relocating Sri Lanka’s remaining 2023 Asia Cup matches to Pakistan owing to the weather. Zaka Ashraf allegedly discussed how the weather is influencing the matches in Sri Lanka over the phone with Jay Shah, the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Rajeev Shukla, the vice president of the BCCI, and President Roger Binny traveled to Lahore on Monday for a two-day visit. In that regard, the ACC is now in discussions with the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the event host Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) considering a prospective venue change. According to information provided to the PTI, Pallekele, Dambulla, and Hambantota are the three possible places.
The prospective venue change has also been communicated to the six competing teams.
