Last Update on: September 6th, 2023 at 05:45 pm
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Najam Sethi has lashed out at Jay Shah and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for not changing the venues of the Super Four matches from Colombo since rain might play a spoilsport during the impending games.
In the third and the most anticipated match of the Asia Cup 2023, India played against Pakistan on Saturday (September 2nd) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. However, the match was cancelled due to rain.
In the first innings of the match, India made 266 runs after Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya stitched a solid partnership. The top batting order failed to score runs in front of the Pakistani fast bowlers. Shaheen Afridi took four wickets in the match and dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.
Within one hour they changed their mind and announced Colombo as the venue: Najam Sethi
The former PCB chief took to his official X account and attacked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and ACC for not changing the venue from Colombo to Hambantota.
According to Najam Sethi, BCCI and ACC informed PCB that they will change the venue but later they did not take any action.
“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? Look at the rain forecast,” Najam Sethi wrote.
BCCI/ACC informed PCB today that they had decided to shift 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 ? Look… pic.twitter.com/8LXJnzoXNf
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 5, 2023
Rohit Sharma-led India thrashed Nepal and clinched a 10-wicket victory to confirm their place in the Super Fours.
In the third Super Four match of the Asia Cup 2023, India will again take on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on Sunday (September 10th) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
According to weather.com, there is a 90% possibility that rain will ruin the high-voltage encounter once more.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asked the ACC to shift the Super Fours match since rain again disrupted the match. But the apex body of Asian cricket declined it and the matches will take place in Colombo.