Picture Credit: Twitter
Rain played a spoilsport in the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. The two sides, who locked hons for the first time since 2019 World Cup 2023 was marred with rain at regular intervals, but the second innings saw a complete whitewash without a ball being bowled and the umpires calling of the game for the day.
With this, both India and Pakistan settled with a point each. While Pakistan after completing two group A games, qualified for the Super 4s, India and Nepal are yet to play a match as the two will go head-to-head on September 4 in Kandy. While the match saw an absurd end, the former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi took a dig with rain coming into play for an all-important game.
The former PCB Chairman dropped a bombshell after incessant rain in the match on Saturday, September 2. After reservations from the BCCI to travel to Pakistan for the continental tournament, the former PCB head stated that he had suggested UAE as the venue for the marquee tournament and claimed that the Asia Cricket Council has denied citing hot weather.
“How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to playing 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!” Sethi wrote on X.
The continental tournament was last played in UAE in September 2022 in the shortest format. The ACC Asia Cup 2022 also saw all matches being played at night.
