Nazam Sethi criticizes Asian Cricket Council for holding Asia Cup in Sri Lanka because it puts politics over cricket

After the highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India in the 2023 Asia Cup was postponed at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy due to rain, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Najam Sethi expressed his regret and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) came under fire for choosing Sri Lanka as the location for the tournament.

In the third match of the competition on Saturday, India was bowled out for 266 in 48.5 overs, while the Pakistani side was unable to begin their chase due to rain, making just one innings feasible.

Sethi posted the following on social networking site X (formerly Twitter): “How disappointing! The greatest cricket competition is ruined by rain. But this was anticipated. I requested the ACC to play in the UAE as PCB Chair, but lame justifications were given to accommodate Sri Lanka. Dubai is too hot, they said.

“But it was just as hot as when the IPL was played there in April 2014 and September 2020, or when the Asia Cup was played there recently in September 2022. sports above politics. Unpardonable,” he continued.

Virender Sehwag, a former Indian cricketer, also published a humorous post poking fun of the circumstance. Baarish ke time toh Chai Pakode rakhte hain yaar, he wrote. Asia Cup is on right now.

Meanwhile, many Indian and Pakistani supporters expressed their displeasure with ACC and harshly attacked it.

After India rejected to visit Pakistan for the match, the hybrid model decision to include Sri Lanka as a co-host for the Asia Cup 2023 was made at Najam Sethi’s proposal. The choice has already drawn criticism, however, since the competition has already been ruined by the weather in Sri Lanka.