Asia Cup 2023: Super Four matches and final to stay in Colombo

Asia Cup 2023 Super Four matches and the final will be taking place in Colombo as the Sri Lankan capital’s weather has shown some improvement. It has been speculated over the last few days that the Super 4 and final games of the Asia Cup could be shifted to Hambantota after heavy rains lashed Colombo, but now the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on September 5 decided to keep the Asia Cup Super 4 and final matches in Colombo itself. The PTI has been informed that the ACC held parleys with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), hosts Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the official broadcaster before arriving at the decision to keep the matches in Colombo itself. The broadcaster too has explained the difficulties to relocate their equipment and staff to Hambantota, a deep Southern district, at such a short notice. In fact, it was SLC who suggested Hambantota as an alternate venue for the five Asia Cup Super 4 matches and the final as the city has been experiencing a drought over the last few weeks. The Sri Lanka-leg of Super 4 will be started with a game between India and Pakistan on September 10 at the R Premadasa Stadium. This will be the second time India will take on Pakistan in the Asia Cup. The league match between the two sides was rained off after India made 266 all out, courtesy fifties from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. The ACC also briefly dabbled with the idea of shifting the matches to Pallekele and Dambulla only to abandon it later. While Pallekele too has been experiencing heavy rains, the Rangiri International Stadium in Dambulla is under maintenance to install new floodlights and a few other facilities. Both of India’s group matches were affected by rain. The much anticipated India-Pakistan clash at the Pallekele stadium in Kandy was called off after one innings due to heavy downpour on Saturday, while India’s match against Nepal on Monday was also truncated due to rain.