ACC Cup 2023 to be 50-over-a-side contest

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Cup 2023 awarded to Pakistan last year (swapped with Sri Lanka) will be a 50-over-a-side contest rather a T20 event.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja who returned home after participating in the ACC meeting over the weekend in Dubai, confirmed that ACC Cup 2023 will be of 50-over-a-side match.

Originally, Pakistan were scheduled to host the 2022 Asia Cup which was swapped with Sri Lanka last year. Sri Lanka will now host T20 Asia Cup in July-August 2022 followed by 50-overs aside Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan in 2023.

“The 2023 ACC Cup in Pakistan will be a 50-over competition,” said Ramiz on his return. He was talking to PCB digital following his return from Dubai, where he also met the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and Emirates Cricket Board officials on the sidelines of the ACC meeting.

“The ACC has agreed and approved that the 2023 event in Pakistan will be a 50-over competition and will be held in September. This aligns very nicely with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in October and November.

“We are looking forward to hosting this tournament in Pakistan and I am confident it will be a well-organized event because this is what the fans want.

“The ACC has also confirmed next year’s tournament in Sri Lanka will be played on a 20-over format and will be a prelude to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia from 16 October to 13 November.”

Pakistan is also in consultation with the ECB on hosting major world cricket events jointly. The News has learned that the PCB chairman has also discussed the matter with the ECB officials.