Expressing his frustration, Sethi, who assumed the position of PCB chairman on an interim foundation following Ramiz Raja’s departure final 12 months, expressed disappointment on the missed alternative. He significantly took purpose on the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), alleging that his proposal to stage the match within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had been unjustly dismissed in favour of accommodating Sri Lanka as a co-host.
In a press release posted on his X account, Sethi remarked, “How disappointing! Rain mars the best contest in cricket. However this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE however poor excuses had been made to accommodate Sri Lanka.”
He additional criticised the explanations cited by the ACC for not holding the match in Dubai, stating, “Too scorching in Dubai, they stated. Nevertheless it was as scorching when the Asia Cup was performed there final time in Sep 2022 or when IPL was performed there in April 2014 and Sep 2020. Politics over sport. Unforgivable!”
The inclusion of Sri Lanka as co-hosts alongside unique hosts Pakistan in a hybrid mannequin was a response to India’s refusal to play their Asia Cup matches in Pakistan as a result of ongoing geopolitical tensions between the 2 nations. Underneath this hybrid association, 4 matches are slated to be performed in Pakistan, with the rest to be held in Sri Lanka.
Comparatively, final 12 months’s Asia Cup was carried out within the UAE throughout the same timeframe however within the T20 format, with matches scheduled within the night. Notably, the Indian Premier League (IPL) was additionally efficiently staged within the UAE in 2020 and 2021 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Within the ill-fated match on Saturday, just one innings was potential, with India managing to submit a complete of 266 runs in 48.5 overs. The match skilled a number of stoppages through the Indian innings, and even the toss was delayed, additional including to the frustration of cricket followers desperate to witness this iconic conflict.
(With inputs from PTI)
