Asia Cup deserves more respect
G Unnikrishnan, writing in the Deccan Herald , questions the wisdom in hosting the Asia Cup in Dambulla, which is not even among the designated venues for the 2011 World Cup
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
G Unnikrishnan, writing in the Deccan Herald, questions the wisdom in hosting the Asia Cup in Dambulla, which is not even among the designated venues for the 2011 World Cup. Right from poor crowds, insufficient lighting to poor timing in hosting the competition, there appears to be, Unnikrishnan says, a deliberate apathy towards what was once a prestigious tournament.
At a time when the future of one-day cricket is under scrutiny, such matches that lack energy and edge can only add strength to the voice of the format’s doomsayers. The timing of the tournament too has gone horribly wrong. It’s tough to generate viewership for any other sporting event when the whole world is focused on the FIFA World Cup, currently under way in South Africa.
But then, proper planning has never the forte of the wise men ruling this sport. Another baffling point is that Dambulla will not stage a single World Cup match next year and the Sri Lanka Cricket is building two new stadiums at Pallekkele and Habbantota for the mega event.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo