The ACC clarified that if rain disrupts the game on the original day, it will recommence from the point of suspension on the reserve day. However, the controversy was exacerbated by the fact that only the India-Pakistan match was granted a reserve day.

While all Super 4 stage matches are scheduled to be contested in Colombo, the provision of a reserve day for only one game raises concerns regarding fairness. Sri Lanka Cricket and Bangladesh Cricket, despite their respective head coaches’ displeasure with the decision, issued rather insightful statements on the matter.

It appeared from their statements on social media platform X that both boards were aware of the reserve day allocation and did not file a protest.

“A reserve day has been inserted for the India vs. Pakistan match in the Super 11 Asia Cup Super 4 stage, effectively modifying the Asia Cup playing conditions. To elucidate the situation, the decision was made with the approval of all four competing teams and the ACC, the Bangladesh Cricket Board wrote on Twitter.

Approximately half an hour later, Sri Lanka Cricket’s X profile featured a similar post.

“The reserve day for the Super 11 Asia Cup Super 4 stage match between India and Pakistan was determined in consultation with all four member boards of the Super 4 competing teams. Accordingly, the ACC effectively revised the playing conditions of the tournament to effect the agreed-upon change. #AsiaCup2023,” the tweet read.

Many cricket supporters have questioned the ACC’s decision-making due to the disparity in providing a reserve day for only one match during the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.

Coaches “surprised”

Both Sri Lanka’s Chris Silverwood and Bangladesh’s head coach Chandiika Hathurusingha expressed astonishment at the announcement of the reserve day for the matchup.Prior to the team’s match against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood stated, “I was a little surprised when I first heard.”

“However, we are not the competition’s organizers, so there’s not much we can do about it. Honestly, it will be a problem if the reserve day awards points to the teams and not someone else, but there’s nothing we can do about it, so we’ll continue to prepare and do our best,” the Englishman said.

Bangladesh’s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed a similar sentiment, implying that the decision was made without consulting the other competing teams. “I’ve never witnessed such a rule change in the midst of a tournament before. Each participating nation is represented on the technical committee of the Asia Cup. They may have made this decision for another reason. It’s not ideal, and we would have preferred an additional day.”

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Samson was selected as Rahul’s reserve because the latter was injured and unable to play in the group-stage matches against Pakistan and Nepal. Rahul, however, recovered and joined the Indian team after the National Academy Cricket Academy in Bengaluru gave him the all-clear.

In his first session with Team India after a lengthy injury layoff, Rahul batted for several hours in Colombo’s indoor nets on Thursday. A few eyebrows were raised when the right-hander failed to preserve wickets. However, this was primarily due to a shortage of space in the indoor net area. There were no injury concerns as he batted with fluidity.

On Friday, Rahul kept wickets for close to 90 minutes under the lights, erasing all doubts about his physical condition. The Indian players were able to train outdoors at the R Premadasa Stadium on Friday, prior to their Super 4 opener against Pakistan on Sunday, because the weather was mostly clear.

Samson, who is not a member of India’s World Cup roster, was reportedly sent home after Rahul rejoined and demonstrated his fitness in the nets.

Bumrah takes Rohit and Kohli; Axat batted for long

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and others who had missed the optional indoor session on Thursday trained intensively on Friday until the weather permitted. According to Sports Today, Bumrah bowled with all his passion and even defeated Rohit and Kohli a few times.

Shami and Siraj, India’s other two premier pacers, also had a lengthy session. Axar Patel did the same with the bat.

Freelance sports journalist Vimal Kumar reported that India placed special emphasis on providing lower-order batsmen batting practice. Shardul Thakur, Axar, and Bumrah spent considerable time honing their abilities with the batting coach. The inability of India’s bowlers to generate crucial runs at the end of an innings has been a significant topic of discussion in recent months.

Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, who were not in contention for a berth in the XI, bowled quite a few overs, signaling a shift in attitude within the Indian camp.

Given the threat posed by Pakistani pacesetter Shaheen Shah Afridi, who claimed four wickets in the group stage match against India, a particular emphasis was placed on training against left-arm seamers.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clarified why team India and other participating nations do not include Pakistan’s name on their jerseys despite being co-hosts of the Asia Cup 2023. Notably, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosting the ACC event, which began on August 30 and runs through September 17.

Three matches into the tournament, supporters have observed that neither ‘Pakistan’ nor ‘Sri Lanka’ is printed on the players’ jerseys as hosts. According to the most recent reports, the PCB clarified that the Asian Cricket Council decided to cease using the hosts’ names on the jerseys at a meeting in 2022.

A source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board told the Times of India (TOI) that the practice of putting the host’s name on the players’ uniforms was halted at a meeting of the Asian Cricket Council last year.

According to reports, a BCCI source refuted the PCB’s claim that the ACC made such a decision. In the previous edition, the jerseys featured the words “Sri Lanka 2022.” Fans and members of the cricketing community drew attention to the disparity, and as a result, the ACC received a severe rebuke for the decision.

Pakistan became first team to qualify for Super 4 round of Asia Cup 2023

Pakistan became the first team to qualify for the Super Four stage of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 after their match against India ended in a tie. In the meantime, Rohit Sharma and company earned a point from the match and will need a win against Nepal on Monday, September 4, to advance to the quarterfinals.

In the second group, co-hosts Sri Lanka are on the verge of qualifying for the Super Four after their magnificent victory over Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Bangla Tigers, who are on the verge of elimination, must defeat Afghanistan on September 3 in order to maintain their prospects of advancing.

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The continental tournament is scheduled to begin on August 31, with Pakistan hosting four matches in Lahore as the pre-designated hosts. Nine matches will be hosted by the defending champions, Sri Lanka, who were unable to host last year’s tournament due to political unrest.

The six participating nations are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal, and the tournament will begin with two divisions of three teams. According to reports, India and Pakistan are anticipated to be placed in the same group, guaranteeing three possible encounters between the bitter rivals.

The 16th edition of the tournament was in jeopardy after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to allow the Indian team to travel to Pakistan, the hosts of the Asia Cup 2023. Pakistan has threatened to withdraw from this year’s ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by India, due to the BCCI’s stance.

Also See | India’s WTC 2023-25 Schedule

The Asia Cup 2023 is anticipated to test India, Pakistan, and defending champion Sri Lanka’s readiness for the impending ODI World Cup, which will follow the conclusion of the continental tournament. According to a proposed schedule for the ICC’s mega-event, India and Pakistan will face off in a World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, while renewing their storied rivalry in the Asia Cup.

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Hotstar lost the digital distribution rights to the Indian Premier League to Reliance’s Viacom18 for approximately $2.9 billion from 2023 to 2027. During the 16th edition of the tournament, the popular media company made the tournament accessible to JioCinema users for free, toppling multiple streaming records.

Hotstar’s most recent move will not only reestablish them as a significant player in the streaming industry, but it will also thwart competitors like JioCinema who are attempting to establish a monopoly in the country. According to a report by research firm CLSA, Disney has also witnessed a mass exodus from their platform, with their subscriber base decreasing by nearly 5 million users after losing the streaming rights to the IPL.

“Disney+Hotstar has remained at the forefront of the swiftly evolving OTT industry in India, and the numerous innovations we’ve introduced to continue enhancing the viewer experience have allowed us to delight our audiences throughout the region. Sajith Sivanandan, the president of Disney+Hotstar, told Exchange4 Media that making the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup available to a larger audience will help to expand the company’s ecosystem.

Also See | WTC 2023: Disney+ Hotstar peaks at 1.5M concurrent Viewership

Hotstar will attract fans in 2023 with two key tournaments

India is scheduled to host the ODI World Cup later this year, whereas the venue for the impending Asia Cup is uncertain. Hotstar will take solace in the fact that JioCinema has also begun pricing for their premium content, which could assist the Disney-owned streaming platform in regaining its user base.

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