The much-awaited Asia Cup Schedule will finally be revealed today (Wednesday) at 7:45 PM IST by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The release of the schedule was delayed due to the ongoing tussle between the BCCI and PCB.
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on August 31 in Lahore, with Multan also hosting two games. Subsequently, Asia Cup 2023 will move to Sri Lanka, where nine matches will be played, including the much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan.
In a statement, the PCB mentioned, “On Saturday, 15 July, a meeting was held between the PCB and ACC officials in respect of finalizing the schedule of the Asia Cup 2023, logistical and organizational arrangements, and marketing campaigns.”
The India-Pakistan tussle over the venue of the Asia Cup has been ongoing for months, but a hybrid model has been eventually accepted by all stakeholders, including the BCCI. According to the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) announcement last month, India will play all their games in Sri Lanka, while Pakistan will host only four matches. Sri Lanka will be the venue for nine matches during the tournament.
However, the PCB expressed their disagreement with the proposed schedule, as they wanted more home matches during the Continental Cup. They also raised concerns about the weather in Sri Lanka during September, which could potentially lead to difficulties in completing the games.
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Furthermore, the revenue share for the hosts was another point of contention for the PCB, as they sought a higher revenue share from Sri Lanka’s games, which was not initially agreed upon by the league officials.