'Asia Cup 2022 Was Played in T20 Format…': Jay Shah on Why UAE Didn't Host 2023 Edition

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah issued a comprehensive statement on venue selection for the ongoing Asia Cup and why UAE wasn’t an ideal choice. As rain continues to play spoilsport during the Sri Lanka leg of the ongoing multi-nation tournament, former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi has been on the offensive and has continuously questioned the move to play in Sri Lanka and not UAE, which has hosted Asia Cup matches in the past.

In the statement, Shah said that none of the stakeholders were willing to play the entire tournament in Pakistan due to the security and economic situation in the country. He further added that the hybrid model was a viable option but the change in leadership at PCB meant there was a lot of back-and-forth during negotiations.

“All the full members, media rights holder, and in-stadia rights holders were initially hesitant to commit to hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan. This reluctance stemmed from concerns related to the security and economic situation prevailing in the country.

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“In my capacity as ACC President, I was committed to finding a viable and mutually agreeable solution. To this end, I had accepted the hybrid model that was proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in collaboration with the ACC management. However, it’s important to note that the leadership of the PCB underwent several changes, and this resulted in some back-and-forth negotiations, particularly regarding crucial aspects such as tax exemption and insurance for matches,” said Shah.

In a long tweet on September 4, Sethi said that they (PCB) pointed out to the ACC members about the rain forecast in Sri Lanka and the lower gate receipts compared to UAE.

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“We repeatedly pointed out that the rains 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 BCCI to play the Asia Cup in UAE as in the past when two IPLs and one ACC ODI event was played there in the same weather conditions. 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,” wrote Sethi.

Shah, however, said there were concerns about playing ODI matches in UAE in the month of September. He further added that there was an “increased risk of injuries” and no ACC member was willing to take that chance right before the World Cup.

“The Asia Cup 2022 edition was played in the UAE in the T20 format. It’s important to emphasize that the dynamics of a T20 tournament cannot be directly compared to those of a 100-over One-day format. In this context, ACC members received feedback from their respective high-performance teams, expressing concerns about playing One-day matches in the UAE in the month of September. Such a schedule could have potentially led to player fatigue and an increased risk of injuries, particularly right before the all-important ICC Cricket World Cup,” explained Shah.

The BCCI secretary further added that the well-being of the players was the ultimate priority.

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“The decision-making process regarding the Asia Cup 2023 format and venue was guided by a sincere desire to prioritize the well-being of the players, as well as the overarching interests of the sport. Ultimately, the goal was to strike a balance that would allow for a competitive and successful tournament while ensuring the health and readiness of the participating teams for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023,” said Shah.