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After speculations about the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s stage being shifted to Hambantota, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has confirmed that the tournament will continue as per the schedule and the matches will be held in Colombo despite rain threats. The decision has sparked controversy as the co-hosts Pakistan expressed their frustration with the announcement.
Due to severe rain threats in view of the prevailing weather pattern on the island, reports emerged that the Super 4s stage of the continental showpiece will shift to a new venue. However, several reports claimed that the matches will take place in Sri Lanka's capital.
Check Here: Asia Cup 2023 Live Score | Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s schedule
The decision didn't go well with the former PCB chairman, Najam Sethi, who took to X and expressed his discontent with not shifting the venue for the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s stage. The 75-year-old aimed an indirect dig at the ACC President and the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, asking whether India are "afraid to play and lose" to Pakistan.
He wrote, " BCCI/ACC informed PCB today that they had decided to shift the 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 ? " Najam Sethi also shared a weather forecast for Colombo that showed around 60-95 % chances of rain.
Earlier, Najam Sethi suggested hosting the Asia Cup in UAE, and Jay Shah responded by saying as per the Indian Express, " In this context, ACC members received feedback from their respective high-performance teams, expressing concerns about playing One-day matches in the UAE in the month of September. Such a schedule could have potentially led to player fatigue and an increased risk of injuries, particularly right before the all-important ICC Cricket World Cup. "
