“Players would have been finished,” Ravi Shastri backs ACC’s decision of not conducting Asia Cup in Dubai amid rain interruption in Sri Lanka
Ravi Shastri gave his opinions, saying that if UAE hosted the matches, then players would have been "finished" playing the 50-over matches due to the hot climate.
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Ravi Shastri (Image via ESPN)
The 2023 Asia Cup will be played plated in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. And while all four matches were completed without much interruption in Pakistan, rain played spoilsport in Sri Lanka. The most hyped India-Pakistan clash even got washed out once. But former India head coach Ravi Shastri backed the Asian Cricket Council‘s (ACC) decision to stage the continental tournament in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and not in Dubai.
Pakistan is the original host of the tournament but because of the intense political strain between India and Pakistan, the ACC decided to follow the hybrid model put forth by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Pakistan also wanted the Asia Cup tournament to be held in UAE but ACC was reluctant to do it, citing the hot climate.
And now, Ravi Shastri gave his opinions, saying that if UAE hosted the matches, then players would have been “finished” playing the 50-over matches due to the hot climate. Notably, several tournaments were played in Dubai in the past, like the 2021 T20 World Cup, last year’s Asia Cup, and even matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“You know, there was talk about that it could have been played in Dubai. Dubai is so hot… for a 50-over game, these players would have been finished. It’s unforeseen circumstances, it’s a calamity that can happen naturally. You look at Bangladesh, northern India, Mumbai, the coastline of India… there is rain everywhere,” Shastri said on the Cricket Live Show on Star Sports.
ACC was criticized heavily as rain played spoilsport during India-Pakistan matches thrice
India’s first group-stage match against Pakistan got wasted out due to rain. Though India batted and scored 266 runs, Pakistan did not get the chance to chase the target.
Then again in the Super Four stage, rain interrupted the match played at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday (September 10). India were batting and due to heavy rainfall, the match was called off for the say.
However, the ACC had previously announced an exclusive reserve day for India and Pakistan clash. Due to the same, the match continued the next day but alas, due to rain, the match started a bit late. Players and fans are heavily disappointed and the latter also took out their frustration on social media by slamming ACC’s mismanagement.
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Gouri Das
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