Due to unfavorable weather conditions in Sri Lanka’s capital city, the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup, originally planned for Colombo, is now expected to move to Hambantota. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is likely to officially confirm this change later today. Sri Lanka Cricket has suggested Hambantota, located in the southeast part of the island, as a better venue to ensure the tournament runs smoothly.
The Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup includes an exciting India vs. Pakistan match, initially scheduled at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. However, persistent heavy rainfall in Colombo over the weekend and on Monday has forced the ACC to look for alternative venues to avoid disruptions caused by rain. During the Sri Lanka leg of the tournament, the India vs. Pakistan match in Pallekele on Saturday was rained out, and on Monday, Rohit Sharma’s team won against Nepal in a rain-shortened match by 10 wickets.
Discussions about relocating the matches from Colombo started on Sunday, considering Pallekele and Dambulla as well. However, with an unfavorable weather forecast for Pallekele and Dambulla’s Rangiri Stadium undergoing maintenance, Hambantota emerged as the most suitable option. Among the potential venues, Hambantota typically experiences less rainfall in September.
As per some reports, the ACC is currently addressing logistical challenges in Hambantota, where the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium is situated near a jungle, and the closest team hotel is 45 km away. One of the main concerns at this point is ensuring enough hotel rooms for the four participating teams, the broadcast crew (including commentators), and match officials.
Sri Lanka Cricket is still inclined to keep the Super 4 stage in Colombo, hoping that the weather forecast will improve over the next week. They are also aware of the logistical challenges that may arise when the event shifts to Hambantota.
