Asian Cricket Council never considered Hambantota as an alternative for Colombo to host Asia Cup 2023 matches - Reports

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reportedly never viewed Hambantota as a viable option to host the 2023 Asia Cup Super Fours and final in place of the capital city of Colombo. There were several rumors making the rounds suggesting that the organizers are looking to shift the tournament to a different city due to the weather forecast in Colombo over the course of the week.

While rain did not make an appearance during the first match at Colombo between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, it did have a lasting say in the subsequent encounter between India and Pakistan. The weather conditions only allowed 24.1 overs to be played on the day of the contest, but due to a reserve day in place, the match yielded a result.

Another alternative that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was stressing was the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the hosts of the previous two editions of the Asia Cup. However, the Asian Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were not keen on exploring that option due to the extreme heat.

A source tracking developments told Cricket Next:

“Team India’s management wasn’t keen to play in the UAE because of the heat. Playing a T20 there is different but a 50-over-a-side contest, right before the World Cup, didn’t look like an ideal option to the team management. The concern was heard."

Prior to the commencement of the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four stage, Jay Shah had also issued a statement after being questioned by former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi.

"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," Jay Shah said.

As a result, Colombo was confirmed as the host for the remainder of the tournament. The venue is primed to host three more Super Four stage matches as well as the final on Sunday, September 17.

Regarding the confusion over Hambantota hosting the Asia Cup matches, the source said:

“Hambantota was never discussed. The ACC never recommended Hambantota’s name. Yes, there were concerns around hosting the games in Colombo but Hambantota wasn’t being explored as an option. Colombo remained the best bet considering all the logistics and other requirements."

There is the threat of rain for the remaining matches as well, which could very well impact the final standings of the Super Four stage. It is to be noted that the final of the tournament has a reserve day in place on Monday, September 18.

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“A broadcaster pays out nearly $40 million for the Asia Cup...out of those 40, $38 million is for India vs Pakistan alone" - Industry sources

There was a lot of backlash from the fans and pundits after only the India vs Pakistan encounter was awarded a reserve day in the Super Four stage. While the decision was apparently taken unanimously with the approval of the other participating sides, the disparity factor was looming large.

Shedding light on the magnitude of the India-Pakistan encounter, industry sources tracking developments told Cricket Next:

“A broadcaster pays out nearly $40 million for the Asia Cup. Out of those 40, $38 millionsis for India vs Pakistan alone. That is one game we are talking about and then there is Super 4 and the final which comes along as a bonus or incentive. So for the commercial and financial health of the tournament, India vs Pakistan is utmost priority."

The reserve day has forced India to play for the third consecutive day in the Asia Cup 2023. The Men in Blue will take on Sri Lanka at the same venue on Tuesday.