Asia Cup: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Cricket Boards issue statement on Indo-Pak match reserve day

This comes after the head coaches of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka voiced their misgivings over the decision of the Asian Cricket Council to add a reserve day for the India-Pakistan clash

New Delhi: The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that the reserve day for the high-profile Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan clash was added after consultation with all the teams competing in Super Four stage of the tournament, i.e, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This comes after the head coaches of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka voiced their misgivings over the decision of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to add a reserve day for the India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup Super Four stage.

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“A reserve day for India Pakistan contest in the Asia Cup Super 4 stage has been added that effectively revised the Asia Cup playing condition. To clarify on the position, the decision was taken with the consent of all four participating teams and ACC,” tweeted the BCB.

SLC also tweeted, “The reserve day for the India-Pakistan contest of the Asia Cup Super 4 stage was taken in consultation with all four member boards of the Super 4 competing teams. Accordingly, the ACC effectively revised the playing conditions of the tournament to effect the agreed-upon change. #AsiaCup2023.”  Earlier, on Friday, a reserve day was announced for the India-Pakistan clash, which will be played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

Not holding back, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurasingha said the decision is not “ideal” as even they would have preferred a reserve day. “There is a technical committee (in Asia Cup) represented by every participating country six nations. They might have decided it for some other reason. It is not ideal as we also would have liked to have an extra day,” the Bangladesh coach said at the pre-match press conference on Friday.

“But I don’t have any more comment on this because they have already made a decision. If they had consulted us earlier, we would have given our opinion,” the Lankan head coach added.

His Lankan counterpart, former England speedster Chris Silverwood, also expressed his frustration over ACC’s decision saying that it could affect qualification scenarios in the elimination stages of the tournament.

“Yeah! Look, obviously, I was a little surprised when I heard it first. But we don’t organise the competition, so we can’t do a whole lot about it, right? I haven’t seen this kind of thing in another tournament, this changing rules in the middle of the tournament,” Silverwood said. “To be honest, I see it only becoming a problem if it provides points to the teams, and affects us,” Silverwood added.

As per the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), if adverse weather suspends play during the India and Pakistan game, the match will continue on September 11 from the point it was suspended.

In such an eventuality, ticket-holders are advised to hold on to their match tickets which will remain valid and will be utilised for the reserve day.
Earlier, the Asia Cup final only had the reserve day, but the India and Pakistan match has been given an exception.

The group stage match between India and Pakistan was called off due to rain, with both teams sharing one point each. India was bundled out at 266 in 48.5 overs with Hardik Pandya’s 87 and Ishan Kishan’s 82 helping the team post a decent target. However, rain played spoilsport and the match was called off without Pakistan facing a single ball.

With rains also forecast in Colombo for the next week, the PCB, the official hosts of the tournament, were on board with plans to move the Colombo matches to Hambantota, but eventually, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) sent a mail to the stakeholders stating that the matches would be played in Colombo as originally scheduled, according to ESPNcricinfo.

A rain threat hangs over the India vs. Pakistan match on Sunday, too, with up to a 90 per cent chance of precipitation. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will lock horns in what promises to be an enthralling Super Four clash on Saturday.