Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has slammed the Asia Cup scheduling after the Indo-Pak match was washed out at Pallekele, saying his suggestion to play in the UAE was turned down and “poor excuses” were made to accommodate Sri Lanka.

Taking a dig at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is currently headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Sethi wrote on 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 Sep 2022 or when IPL was played there in April 2014 and Sep 2020. Politics over sport. Unforgivable!”

Sri Lanka was added as co-hosts alongside original tournament hosts Pakistan under a hybrid model after India refused to play their Asia Cup matches across their western border owing to geopolitical tension between the two countries. Under the hybrid model, four games are scheduled in Pakistan, and the rest in Sri Lanka.

Colombo crisis

The ACC is mulling a change in the venue for the Super Four matches of the Asia Cup in the wake of the heavy rains in Colombo.

Five Super Four matches and the final have been scheduled in Colombo from September 9 onwards. In that context, the ACC is currently engaged in a discussion with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and tournament hosts PCB about a possible change of venue.

Three venues are under consideration — Pallekele, Dambulla and Hambantota. The six participating teams have also been intimated about the possible change in venue.

Pallekele is currently hosting the Asia Cup league matches, but the possibility of rain in this hill town is also on the higher side.

Dambulla is about 70 kilometres from Pallekele and the chances of rain are much less there. But the weather in Hambantota is predicted to be the brightest and the ACC is keenly evaluating the readiness of Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium there to host the matches.

PTI