MUMBAI: The one thing noticeable after the first two games of the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been that the name of the host nation, in this case Pakistan, has been missing from the players’ shirts.
“At an Asian Cricket Council meeting last year, it was decided the practice of the hosts’ name on the players’ shirts will be stopped,” a source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board told TOI.
However, a source in the BCCI denied that any such decision had been made. In fact, all the participating players had India written on their shirts during the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE, in which India was the host country.
Asian Games: Indian teams to play QFs on Sept 21 and Oct 3
Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Indian men’s team, which has been ranked No 1 by the organisers, will play its Hangzhou Asian Games quarterfinal on October 3 (9am local time) against a yet to be named team at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field (ZJUT Cricket Field).
The Indian women’s team, who are likely to be led by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana in that match, as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been suspended for the first two matches, will leave for China on September 17 and will play their last eight clash against a yet to be named opponent on September 21 (9am local time).
The women’s event final will be held on September 25, while the men’s final will be held on October 7.
