Before the opening match against Nepal, Pakistan captain Babar Azam made a simple comment regarding co-hosting the Asia Cup 2023 with Sri Lanka. Notably, on Wednesday, August 30, at the Multan Cricket Stadium, the Men in Green will play host to Nepal, a team making its continental championship debut.
It is important to note that Pakistan was initially given the privilege of hosting the entire ACC event. The PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), however, decided to propose a “hybrid model” so as to host one part of the event after much discussion with the other boards of the participating nations because the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) were at odds over the hosting rights of the Asia Cup.
Now that the majority of the games are taking place in Sri Lanka, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam said he would have preferred for the Asia Cup to be played entirely at home. Pakistan will host just four games in the ACC competition, compared to the Island nation’s nine matches.
“In my opinion, it would have been better if the entire competition had taken place in Pakistan, but sadly, there is nothing that can be done about it. We are prepared for any timetable that is given to us because we are professionals. We are prepared for travel and back-to-back games, according to Babar, who spoke during the pre-tournament press conference.
“Our coaches and support staff have laid out plans regarding how much we would use each player, and we have also booked our flights in such a manner, that our travelling schedule gives enough time to rest,” he continued.
The game between Pakistan and India will be intense: Babar Azam
Babar went on to express his opinion over the much awaited match between India and Pakistan, which is slated to take place on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. With the No. 1 ODI team now on a high following a three-match ODI series victory over Afghanistan, Babar recognized that his team would aim to maintain their momentum moving forward in the Asia Cup.
“We want to maintain this forward momentum. The encounter between Pakistan and India will be intense, and we want to play our best cricket possible that day,” Babar said.
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