Asia Cup 2023 Games Likely To Be Shifted From Colombo As Heavy Rains Lash Sri Lankan Capital: Report

Even the game between India and Pakistan on Saturday in Pallekele was washed out.

Sri Lanka has been witnessing heavy rains over the last five days.

The Asian Cricket Council is likely to shift the venue for the Super 4 stages of the Asia Cup 2023 since Colombo has been witnessing heavy rains over the last few days, as per the report by the Indian Express. All the teams have been informed of the current situation in Sri Lanka’s capital and Dambulla and Pallekele have been understood as different options.

The ongoing Asia Cup is being played in a hybrid model as Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been jointly hosting the tournament. The important matches of the Super 4 stage are slated to take place in the island nation. Earlier, when the ACC directed Sri Lanka as the second venue, Sri Lanka Cricket came up with advice that they would conduct the event in Dambulla, which is a dry area in the central part of the country.

People using Baseline Road today just be cautious #Colombo #rain pic.twitter.com/ZUZw2HsTKn

— Thanushan Jeyaram (@ThanushanJeyar2) September 3, 2023

Not sure the exact measure for how much rain is falling in Colombo today, but ballpark figure is: all of it

Happily, getting (slightly) lighter the closer the train gets to Kandy. Fingers crossed for the India v Nepal game tomorrow #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/4ojLpWwClH

— Paul Radley (@PaulRadley) September 3, 2023

How disappointing! Rain mars the greatest contest in cricket. But this was forecast. As PCB Chair, I urged the ACC to play in UAE but poor excuses were made to accommodate Sri Lanka. Too hot in Dubai, they said. But it was as hot when the Asia Cup was played there last time in…

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 2, 2023

The teams and broadcasters have been showing unwillingness to go to Dambulla, Pallekele, and Colombo were selected as venues. However, since its monsoon season going on the island, both these areas have been experiencing heavy rainfall over the past five days. Even the game between India and Pakistan on Saturday in Pallekele was washed out.

There was some hope that the situation would get stable in Colombo, but the heavy rains in the capital city are now forcing the ACC to assess their decision. The first game of the Asia Cup 2023 will be played in Colombo on September 9, the ACC is worried about the weather forecast.  The ACC is expected to make a final decision in a day or two.