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Najam Sethi and Jai Shah (Source - Twitter)
The 2023 Asia Cup will take place from August 31 to September 17, the Asian Cricket Council confirmed on Thursday. The competition will feature a total of 13 one-day international matches amongst the nations and will feature competition from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal.
The Pakistan Cricket Board and Indian Cricket Board's protracted disagreement has now been resolved. The event will be held in a hybrid format, according to the ACC's announcement, with Pakistan hosting four matches and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining nine. Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif believes that both Jai Shah and Najam Sethi have looked for their personal benefit through the hybrid model.
“This is a typical scenario; Jay Shah wanted to win; he needed recognition for his work, somewhere he wanted the medal for his under-the-belt tactics that he organized some event as he is the ACC President. Moreover, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was also in a critical situation, and they also needed a way to save face and find a solution to overcome their challenges,” Latif said on his YouTube Channel.
It will be a very good event for everyone: Rashid Latif
Talking about the tournament’s fixture, 2 teams will move on to the Super 4 from each of the groups. The following round will consist of a total of six games in which the Super-4 will be played. The title game will then feature two teams in the semifinal round. However, the former star of Pakistan cricket also made note of the fact that awarding Sri Lanka the final nine games of the Asia Cup will significantly boost that country's economy through revenue following the decline it experienced in the wake of political upheaval.
“Both India and Pakistan have been successful in this. The third beneficiary is Sri Lanka, which will host almost every tournament with nine matches. Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh will receive their respective participating fees, so it will be a very good event for everyone. Pakistan is happy, India is happy, and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also delighted,” he added.