ACC President talks back to critics over choice of Asia Cup venue
Shares
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is facing intense scrutiny for its decision to hold the Asia Cup during Sri Lanka's rainy season. Today, Najam Sethi, the former Chairman of the PCB management committee, expressed his dissatisfaction on social media platform "X," criticizing the choice of venue for the ongoing Asia Cup.
He revealed that he strongly recommended to the ACC to relocate the remaining matches of the Asia Cup to the UAE instead of Sri Lanka, as part of the hybrid model proposed during his tenure. ACC President, Jay Shah, addressing the current situation, provided insight into the decision to move the Asia Cup 2023 out of Pakistan.
"All the full members, media rights holder, and in-stadia rights holders were initially hesitant to commit to hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan. This reluctance was due to concerns related to the security and economic situation in the country," Shah stated in the press release.
"In my role as ACC President, I was committed to finding a viable and mutually agreeable solution. I had accepted the hybrid model proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in collaboration with ACC management. However, it's important to note that the leadership of the PCB underwent several changes, leading to some back-and-forth negotiations, particularly concerning crucial aspects like tax exemption and insurance for matches."
"The Asia Cup 2022 edition was played in the UAE in the T20 format. It's essential to emphasize that the dynamics of a T20 tournament cannot be directly compared to a 100-over One-day format. In this context, ACC members received feedback from their respective high-performance teams, expressing concerns about playing One-day matches in the UAE in September. Such a schedule could have potentially resulted in player fatigue and an increased risk of injuries, especially right before the all-important ICC Cricket World Cup."
"The decision-making process regarding the Asia Cup 2023 format and venue was driven by a sincere desire to prioritize the players' well-being and the sport's overarching interests. Ultimately, the goal was to strike a balance that would allow for a competitive and successful tournament while ensuring the health and readiness of the participating teams for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.”
