<p>The Asia Cup 2023 is already underway, and it is making more news off the cricket field than team competition on the pitch. No, we’re not talking about the weather here.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-165388″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-as-officials-wage-a-verbal-battle-cricket-takes-a-second-seat-downlo.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com asia cup 2023 as officials wage a verbal battle cricket takes a second seat downlo” width=”959″ height=”638″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-as-officials-wage-a-verbal-battle-cricket-takes-a-second-seat-downlo.jpg 275w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-as-officials-wage-a-verbal-battle-cricket-takes-a-second-seat-downlo-150×100.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 959px) 100vw, 959px” title=”Asia Cup 2023: As officials wage a verbal battle, cricket takes a second seat 6″></p>
<p>In reality, the verbal exchange between the parties is attracting more attention. Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi started it off by criticizing BCCI secretary and head of the Asian Cricket Council Jay Shah for choosing Sri Lanka over the United Arab Emirates and choosing to play the Asia Cup in a hybrid format.</p>
<p>With rain canceling out the majority of the island nation’s games and a potential danger to the Super Four stage matchups, the plan has partially backfired.</p>
<p>Only Mr. Shah can explain why these alternatives were turned down and Sri Lanka was made an exception against all logic, reason, and rationale. As we have seen, the selection of locations in Sri Lanka was equally problematic.</p>
<p>Shah responded on Tuesday by saying that the decision was made because of the extreme heat in the UAE at this time of year, which can cause players to get fatigued before the crucial ICC World Cup, which begins on October 5 in India.</p>
<p>Shah also brought up Pakistan’s economic circumstances and the PCB’s regular leadership changes in his response, claiming that these factors led to “some back-and-forth negotiations.”</p>
<p>“At first, all the full members were unwilling to commit to holding the complete tournament in Pakistan, as well as the television rights holder and in-stadium rights holders. This hesitancy was caused by worries about the nation’s economic and security predicament, he added.</p>
<p>“It’s important to note that the leadership of the PCB underwent several changes, and this resulted in some back-and-forth negotiations, particularly regarding crucial aspects such as tax exemption and insurance for matches,” Shah said.</p>
<p>Pakistan has previously threatened to boycott both the 2018 ICC World Cup and the Asia Cup should the competition be held outside of their borders. To determine whether Pakistan’s squad might go to India for the World Cup, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif even assembled a committee that included Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.</p>
<p>The Asia Cup’s Super 4 stage began on Wednesday in Lahore and is scheduled to continue on Sunday in Colombo, however there is a good probability that weather may interfere with the matches. Given that the Lanka Premier League was played up to August 20 and that the rains had a negative impact on preparing those tracks, the state of the pitches at the R Premadasa Stadium is another cause for worry.</p>
<p>Since the competition is being billed as a “dress rehearsal” for the ICC World Cup, all of the teams in the Super Fours Stage will be hoping for complete games. Rahul Dravid, the head coach of India, will be most interested in determining KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah’s readiness to play after injury layoffs.</p>
<p>With only four weeks until the World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Dravid will attempt to select the best Playing XI. In this situation, rain-affected games will not be helpful for Team India, which will play Australia on October 8 in Chennai in an effort to emulate their heroics from 2011.</p>
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Asia Cup 2023: As officials wage a verbal battle, cricket takes a second seat
