India take on Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023 on September 10© AFP
The decision taken by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to include a reserve day only for the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match between India and Pakistan on Sunday was met with a lot of criticism on social media. The group stage match between the two teams was abandoned due to rain and the authorities decided to add a reserve day in order to make sure that the cricket fans could enjoy the much-anticipated encounter. However, with no other Super 4 game having a reserve day, fans were quick to point out the partiality on display and called for all matches to be treated equally in the competition.
“A reserve day has been incorporated for the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4’s match between Pakistan and India scheduled to take place on 10th September 2023 at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo,” the ACC said in a statement.
“If adverse weather suspends play during the Pakistan vs India game, the match will continue on 11th September 2023 from the point it was suspended,” the statement added.
The Asia Cup final, to be played on September 17, already has been provided with a reserve day considering the heavy rains in the Lankan capital.
In such an eventuality, the ACC said spectators can hold on to their match tickets which will remain valid on the reserve day.
Recently, the PCB management committee chairman Zaka Ashraf had written to ACC chairman Jay Shah, demanding compensation for allegedly losing out considerable money on gate receipts due to poor crowd response for matches in the island nation.
While there is not even remotest of chance of ACC giving any compensation to PCB, the reserve day is the most amicable settlement that could have been reached amidst rising tension between continental body and the tournament hosts.
(With PTI inputs)
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