The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is contemplating a last-minute shift in the venue for the Super 4 stages of the Asia Cup 2023, owing to persistent heavy rains in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
According to a report, the capital city of Sri Lanka, Colombo, has been experiencing relentless rainfall over the past few days, throwing the tournament’s schedule into disarray. As a result, the ACC is exploring alternative options, with Dambulla and Pallekele emerging as potential venues.
The ongoing Asia Cup 2023 has adopted a hybrid model, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka jointly hosting the tournament. Notably, the crucial matches of the Super 4 stage are slated to be held in Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka Cricket initially suggested that they would host the event in Dambulla, a dry area situated in the central part of the country.
Teams and broadcasters, however, have expressed their reluctance to relocate to Dambulla. Consequently, Colombo and Pallekele were selected as alternative venues. Unfortunately, the unpredictable monsoon season has led to both these areas witnessing heavy rainfall for the past five days, further complicating matters. Even the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in Pallekele was washed out due to inclement weather.
Initially, there was some hope that the weather conditions in Colombo would stabilize. However, the continuous heavy rains in the capital city have prompted the ACC to reconsider their decision.
With the first game of the Asia Cup 2023 scheduled for September 9 in Colombo, the ACC is understandably concerned about the weather forecast, given the unpredictable nature of monsoon seasons in the region. A final decision regarding the venue change is expected from the ACC within the next day or two.
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