Former chief of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi shows his frustration over the Asia Cup venue. Through his tweets he said that he suggested Jay Shah and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for the UAE venue, but it was dismissed by them.
Asia Cup which is going on in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, earlier happened to be the whole tournament in Pakistan but due to the BCCI’s demand not to play in Pakistan, most of the matches were shifted to Sri Lanka.
Najam Sethi who was PCB chief during that time, suggested that in the tournament 5 matches will be in Pakistan and the remaining 8 matches in UAE, but ACC declined the request and gave the clarification that the weather in the Middle East country will be too hot.
Also he added that the whole tournament was previously to be held in Sri Lanka but when they told they would boycott the Asia Cup then they were given 4 matches there. After that he concluded by saying that he still didn’t know why it was rejected and said that it must be asked by Jay Shah and ACC that why it was being rejected the proposal and play the matches in Sri Lanka despite bad weather conditions.
In series of tweets Najam Sethi said,
“I pleaded for three approvals in various meetings with Jay Shah and ACC colleagues: Play all matches in Pakistan as international cricket had fully returned to Pakistan. When this was shot down I proposed that we play five matches in Pakistan and eight in the UAE. This also they rejected and hinted at giving the Asia Cup hosting rights to Sri Lanka if we didn’t budge.”
Finally after we said we will not participate, they scheduled four matches in Pakistan and posted the rest in Sri Lanka. We repeatedly pointed out that the rain forecast in SL would adversely impact match results and diminish crowds at stadiums. We also argued that gate receipts from UAE stadiums would be many times more than those in SL given economic considerations.”
“When Mr Shah didn’t agree, a high level delegation of the Emirates Cricket Board flew to Mumbai to persuade the BCCI to play the Asia Cup to UAE as in the past weather conditions. The BCCI refused to accept their request. Only Mr Shah can explain why these options were rejected and why Sri Lanka was accommodated against all reason, logic and rationality. The choice of venues in Sri Lanka was also problematic as we have seen.”
I pleaded for three approvals in various meetings with Jay Shah and ACC colleagues:
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 4, 2023
Play all matches in Pakistan as international cricket had fully returned to Pakistan.
When this was shot down
I proposed that we play five matches in Pakistan and eight in the UAE.
This also they…