Pakistan beat Nepal in their first match of Asia Cup 2023© AFP
Pakistan Cricket Board is facing strong criticism from fans and a few former players over the omission of country’s name on the official Asia Cup logo on participating teams’ jerseys. Former captain Rashid Latif was among those who lashed out at the board soon after the Pakistan team took the field against Nepal in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Multan on Wednesday. Though Asia Cup is jointly staged by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the former is the host of the tournament. “This is unacceptable and it is the Asian Cricket Council which must explain this oversight since the Asia Cup is their property,” he said. Since the hue and cry, PCB unofficially has tried to play down the situation by saying that the ACC had taken a decision after last year’s Asia Cup that the host country’s name would not be given with the Asia Cup logo in future events.
But most Pakistani cricket fans on social media are not willing to accept this explanation. Some have even questioned that even if the ACC had taken such a decision, why did the PCB agree to it since Pakistan was hosting a multi-team event after 15-years.
“Makes no sense at all. Then why has the ACC given the host country’s name on the logos for their Asian Emerging Nations Cup or their Asian under-16 event held in July in Malaysia,” former Test batsman Mohsin Khan questioned.
Mohsin Khan said the ACC should clear the confusion.
Another former player who didn’t want to be named believes that Jay Shah, the President of the ACC and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was the reason for Pakistan not being acknowledged as the host nation on the official logo.
“Given the current scenario between the two countries perhaps the BCCI official felt it would be embarrassing for the Indian team players to wear kits with the name of Pakistan on the official Asia Cup logo,” he said.
Rashid Latif didn’t rule out this possibility and said what had happened was embarrassing and needed to be clarified.
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