Asia Cup 2023, Sri Lanka, Pakistan: Asia Cup 2023 between IPL is constantly in the headlines. India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. In such a situation, the option of a neutral venue came to the fore. A report in Indian Express has claimed that Sri Lanka may host the upcoming Asia Cup. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is ready to shift the tournament from Pakistan. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has already clarified that the Indian cricket team will not go to Pakistan due to security reasons.
Pakistan Can Boycott
The final decision on the tournament venue can be taken by the end of this month. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are expected to support the move to host the event in the island nation. Pakistan’s participation in the tournament is still unclear, as reports indicate it may boycott the event. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues showing interest in holding the tournament at home. BCCI is getting support from other member countries of the ACC; this decision seems to be a formality.
Tournament Can Be Held In Sri Lanka
After the BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament citing a lack of clearance from the government, the PCB proposed a hybrid model to host the Asia Cup, where India’s matches would be hosted solely in Dubai. It is very hot in the United Arab Emirates in September. Oman had also offered to host the tournament during a recent informal meeting of ACC members, but considering the circumstances, Sri Lanka was considered an ideal venue.
A decision Will Be Taken Soon.
Teams are not ready to put players at risk in extreme heat. On the other hand, Sri Lanka Cricket expressed interest in hosting the tournament. ACC is set to reach a final decision in the coming weeks. If Sri Lanka conducts Asia Cup 2023, Dambulla and Pallekele can be the venues. Colombo usually sees the monsoon season in September. This can have an impact on the upcoming World Cup.
Reports from Pakistan indicated that the PCB might not participate in the event if the Asia Cup is pulled out of the country. If he skips that tournament, it will also put a question mark on his participation in the World Cup, which India will host in October-November.
