The announcement of the schedule for the Asia Cup 2023, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka co-hosting the tournament for the first time in its history, has stirred up some controversy. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt expressed his dissatisfaction with the scheduling, particularly concerning the lack of rest for the Pakistani team in the tournament.
According to the released schedule, India will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, while Pakistan’s matches will be split between their home soil and Sri Lanka. The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash will take place in Kandy, Sri Lanka. However, Pakistan’s opening match in Group A will be in Lahore, followed by a two-day gap before they travel to Sri Lanka to clash against India. If Pakistan qualifies for the Super Fours round, they will return to their home soil for the opening match before returning to Sri Lanka.
Salman Butt criticized the scheduling, pointing out the apparent lack of rest for Babar Azam’s team compared to Sri Lanka. He mentioned that while Sri Lanka will have a more significant gap between their matches, Pakistan has only been given a two-day break despite being one of the host nations. This disparity in rest days has raised concerns about the well-being and fatigue of the players.
“It’s a very strange schedule. Pakistan are playing their first match in Pakistan, then they will travel to Sri Lanka for the second match. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will play their first match in their home, and when they have to travel to Pakistan for the second game, they have a 4-5 days gap. Pakistan, who are originally the host nation, have only got two days gap. We never cared about our players.” Butt said.
The release by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah clarified that irrespective of their positions after the first round, Pakistan will remain A1 and India A2. If either team does not qualify, Nepal will take their position. If both arch-rivals make it to the Super Fours, their clash will occur in Colombo. A similar arrangement has been made for Group B, with Sri Lanka remaining B1 and Bangladesh B2, and Afghanistan stepping in if any of these teams do not qualify for the Super Fours.
ICC World Cup 2023 Schedule Announced, Click Here To Check Full Schedule
While the tournament promises to be an exciting cricketing spectacle, the scheduling concerns raised by Salman Butt highlight the importance of considering the players’ well-being and providing adequate rest between matches. Cricket authorities may need to reevaluate and address these concerns to ensure a fair and balanced schedule for all teams participating in the Asia Cup 2023.
