The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will make a concerted effort to have more matches of the upcoming Asia Cup staged in Pakistan during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) board meeting in Dubai on Sunday.
Earlier this year, the ACC announced a hybrid model for the tournament, with four matches scheduled to be held in Pakistan and nine in Sri Lanka. This decision was made in consideration of the tense relations between Pakistan and India, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had expressed its unwillingness to send its team to Pakistan.
However, the newly appointed PCB cricket committee chief, Zaka Ashraf, who was not involved in the initial decision-making process, has expressed his desire to secure additional matches in Pakistan. Ashraf conveyed this intention during discussions with ACC member board officials at the ICC meetings in Durban.
While the full match schedule is yet to be released, it is unlikely that Pakistan will be granted more matches. Nonetheless, the PCB will present its case at the ACC meeting, citing the weather forecast for Sri Lanka as a reason to host more games in Pakistan.
According to a PCB source, Pakistan intends to propose hosting more than four matches due to the rainy weather expected in Sri Lanka, which is set to host nine games of the Asia Cup. The source also revealed that Zaka Ashraf aims to utilize venues other than Lahore, such as Multan, for the tournament.
The PCB authorities believe that commencing the event with a match between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan would attract a larger crowd compared to Lahore. They hope that selecting Multan Stadium, which is smaller in size than Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, will create a more vibrant and packed atmosphere for the opening match.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal are the participating teams in the upcoming Asia Cup. The 2023 edition of the tournament will feature two groups, with two teams from each group advancing to the Super Four stage. The top two teams from the Super Four stage will then compete in the final showdown.
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