PCB seeks reimbursement from ACC’s Jay Shah for Asia Cup losses

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Zaka Ashraf, Chairman of the Management Committee at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a formal letter, has made a request to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for compensation to cover the financial losses incurred as a result of matches being washed out during the ongoing Asia Cup 2023.

The letter, addressed to ACC President Jay Shah, outlines the PCB's concerns and grievances regarding the tournament's management.

Furthermore, the PCB has expressed its disappointment and dissatisfaction with the decision to proceed with the Asia Cup matches in Colombo as originally scheduled, despite a prior consensus among all member nations to relocate the Super 4 fixtures to Hambantota. This decision was prompted by adverse weather conditions that had the potential to affect the matches negatively.

“PCB, as the host of the Asia Cup 2023, is deeply troubled by the lack of consultation and communication that led to this ostensible and unilateral decision. It is still not clear who has taken this decision and, in this regard, a clarification is demanded,” the letter by PCB stated.

“This latest arbitrary decision, not taken with the approval of competent authorities, appears to have been made in haste and irrationally.

“The question again arises as to who is making these decisions unilaterally, without following due process and without consulting the host for the event.

“The Weather Forecast could not have possibly changed within a span of few minutes. What is the point of pandering to spectator's bookings (that too only HA of the stadium capacity) if the game is washed out? The reasoning defies logic.

“Who will be responsible for the loss of gate receipts to the PCB and the adverse impact on the ACC Event's brand value should the matches be rained out in Colombo? The ACC will have to take responsibility for the washed out matches, incremental costs if any, and also reimburse PCB for the losses of gate revenue.”

Yesterday, Najam Sethi, the former Chairman of the PCB management committee, had also voiced his discontent on social media platform "X," criticizing the venue selection for the ongoing Asia Cup.

He disclosed that he had strongly urged the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to play the remaining matches of the Asia Cup in the UAE instead of Sri Lanka, as part of the hybrid model proposed by him during his tenure.

ACC President, Jay Shah, addressing the ongoing situation on Tuesday, provided insight into the decision taken to move Asia Cup 2023 out of Pakistan.

“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," Shah said in the press release.

"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."

"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."

"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.”