Pakistan is likely to host more than four matches with Lahore and Multan being the likely venues in the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup 2023. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials are currently in Dubai to finalize the schedule and other details for Asia Cup 2023.
The event would be conducted under the hybrid concept, as suggested by the PCB, the ACC stated last month. The PCB suggested the hybrid concept, where they intended to host the competition together with a neutral venue after the BCCI indicated that India would not travel to Pakistan for the competition.
The PCB had suggested the UAE as the neutral location, but the ACC ultimately chose Sri Lanka. The sixteenth Asia Cup would be held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan from August 31 to September 17, according to a June 15 ACC announcement.
The ACC also revealed that Pakistan would only host four games, while Sri Lanka would host nine.
And even though it was anticipated that the PCB would approve the tournament when the hybrid model was approved, they have not yet done so. The delay was caused, according to claims in Pakistani media, because PCB wanted more matches to be played in Pakistan.
Asia Cup 2023 Venues Revealed In Pakistan And Sri Lanka- Reports
According to Cricket Pakistan, PCB also preferred that two cities, as opposed to just one, host the matches. According to earlier reports, Lahore will host all four games, but the PCB also wanted Multan to host some of them. And it appears that the PCB has heard some encouraging news from the ACC.
Now as per reports by RevSportz, Pakistan will host the Asia Cup matches in Lahore and Multan. while Kandy and Dambulla could be the venues in Sri Lanka.
This indicates that Pakistan is likely to get more than 4 matches to host in their own backyard. But none of those matches are likely to involve India.
The ACC is likely to announce the full schedule later this week.
? BREAKING: Update on #AsiaCup2023
Lahore & Multan are likely to host matches in Pakistan whereas Kandy & Dambulla to get matches in Sri Lanka: Sources
The meeting between the ACC and PCB is still on; complete fixture expected later this week@CricSubhayan @BoriaMajumdar pic.twitter.com/DoaZTKWOGs
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) July 17, 2023