The Asia Cup 2023 venue continues to be part of a hot debate. Initially the continental event was supposed to be held fully in Pakistan but then the Asian Cricket Council, led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, decided on a hybrid model. Barring four matches, all the other games are being played in Sri Lanka. However, rain has played spoilsport in the matches. In the first India vs Pakistan game at Pallekele, not a single ball could be bowled in the second innings, after Pakistan dismissed India for 266.
After the game, former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi posted on X (formerly Twitter): "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!"
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... pic.twitter.com/8LXJnzoXNf
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 5, 2023
"Don't know what Najam Sethi is smoking nowadays. I don't know how is he saying that they were the favourites or India does not want to play Pakistan," Harbhajan Singh said on Sports Today.
"Please someone give him the whole record where India have beaten them more number of times whenever they have played against each other. This is baseless kind of a thing for him, with the kind of stature that he holds at this moment for Pakistan cricket
"He says, India does not want to play Pakistan because India is scared. India is never scared to play anyone. Don't know where this is coming from. They needed to sit with the Asian Cricket Council and see where the tournament is going to be held.
"Whether the weather forecast was right or not. Boss, come and play us wherever you want, we will beat you."
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday demanded compensation from the Asian Cricket Council for the loss of gate money it has suffered due to Asia Cup matches being held in Sri Lanka.
Although the PCB has not issued any official statement on the matter, some media outlets here have reported that the board's chairman Zaka Ashraf has sent a formal letter to the ACC president Jay Shah, demanding compensation.
Ashraf has expressed his disappointment over the way the scheduling of the matches in Sri Lanka has been handled by the ACC.
Without taking any names, the PCB chief has also asked who was responsible for last-minute decisions to shift venues without taking the other ACC board members into confidence.
Ashraf's letter also mentions a meeting between some ACC members including those from Sri Lanka and Pakistan after the contest between India and Nepal.
"In the meeting it was agreed that since the forecast is that Hambantota would remain dry the matches in Colombo should be moved there," Ashraf has written.
With PTI inputs
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