The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has found itself in hot water after announcing a reserve day exclusively for the India-Pakistan Super Four match in the Asia Cup 2023 tournament. This decision was taken in light of a 90% chance of heavy rainfall predicted for September 10, the day the match is scheduled.
The ACC stated that if rain interferes, the match will continue from where it left off on the reserve day. However, the decision to allocate a reserve day only for this particular match has raised eyebrows.
Statements from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards took to social media to issue statements that only added to the confusion. According to their posts, the decision for a reserve day was made with the consent of all four teams participating in the Super 4 stage. Bangladesh Cricket Board tweeted about it while Sri Lanka Cricket echoed this sentiment in a similar post.
Coaches express surprise
Despite the boards’ statements, the head coaches of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh expressed their discontent. Chris Silverwood, Sri Lanka’s coach, mentioned that while they have no control over the tournament’s organisation, the decision could be problematic if the reserve day affects the points table.
Bangladesh’s head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, also expressed his surprise, stating that changing rules mid-tournament is not ideal.
Fans left puzzled
The decision to provide a reserve day only for the India-Pakistan match has left fans and experts questioning the ACC’s decision-making process. The controversy has added another layer of intrigue to an already highly-anticipated tournament.
“A reserve day added for the Pakistan v India Super Four clash on Sunday, but not for any of the other Super Four matches. A classic case of inconsistency and unfairness to the other teams,” wrote Iceland Cricket.
“A multi-nation tournament deserves a reserve day for each of the Super 4 games not just Indo-Pak. No rocket science there. PS: Neither of the two teams are defending champions by the way. Sri Lanka are,” wrote one user.
