Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has criticized Jay Shah, the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), for raising concerns about the scheduling and security of the Asia Cup. Afridi took to his social media platform ‘X’ to express his views, addressing Shah directly and providing a list of international cricket teams and events successfully hosted by Pakistan in recent years.
Shahid Afridi debunked Shah’s claims of security concerns in Pakistan and emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. He highlighted the numerous foreign players and teams that have visited Pakistan in recent years, showcasing the country’s ability to ensure security for cricket events.
Afridi’s comments came in response to Jay Shah’s statement expressing reservations about hosting the entire Asia Cup in Pakistan due to security and economic concerns. Shah had mentioned that various stakeholders were initially hesitant to commit to holding the tournament in Pakistan.
The decision by ACC and Shah to keep all Super Four matches in Colombo, despite the risk of heavy rain, has faced criticism. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing rainy conditions that could impact the upcoming Super Four matches. Previously, ACC had set to move the Super Four matches to Hambantota due to poor weather forecasts in Colombo, with the approval of the PCB. However, Shah reversed the decision which led to significant discontent from the PCB.
Additionally, the India-Pakistan group stage match was washed out due to rain, and India’s last group stage match against Nepal was affected as well, resulting in a reduction in overs during the second innings. These weather-related disruptions have further fueled debate over the tournament’s management and scheduling decisions.
