Asia Cup: Selective addition of ‘reserve day’ rule surprises Bangladesh head coach ahead of Sri Lanka tie

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) added a reserve day for India vs. Pakistan Super Four match in Colombo, to be played on Sunday, September 10, and Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is seemingly unhappy with this selective call. Outside of the final on September 17, the India-Pakistan marquee clash is the only other game to get a reserve day, bypassing the remaining two teams – co-host Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s first Super Four match against Sri Lanka in Colombo – a city facingrainfall during this peak monsoon season, Hathurusingha said these selective calls around reserve day are not ideal, and if it has been offered for one game, it must be there for all games.

Since the first game between arch-rivals played in Kandy got washed out, the PCB, in coordination with the ACC, were said to look into alternate venues for Super Four stages to avoid games more suffering the same fate. With the players and the broadcasters reluctant to travel to Hambantota and Dambulla (optional venues), the ACC remained confined to Colombo as the final venue for the remaining matches.

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"I'm sure there is a technical committee, represented by every participating countries, six nations. So, they must have decided with some other reason. Yes, it's not ideal. We would love to have an extra day as well. Other than that, I don't have much comment on that because they have made a decision," Hathurusingha said.

"We haven't spoken about that [reserve day] because once you've made a decision, we don't have much say. So, if we were consulted before, we would have our comment, but because it's already made, I don't have any concern. And we just get on with what we were asked. I haven't seen this kind of thing in another tournament. Changing rules in the middle of the tournament, so that's the new thing I can add to that," the head coach added.

Hathurusingha concentrated on SL game despite the reserve-day drama

The Bangladesh head coach remains concerned about the big game against Sri Lanka, an opposition against whom they suffered a defeat earlier in the tournament. Even in match-winner Shanto's absence, Hathurusingha believes his side can deliver against the Asian giants.

"We're very much aware of what happened in the past. But we have been playing good cricket. So, we have to play in a very different condition from the last two or three games against different opposition.”

"So, it's a big challenge for us, but we talk about how we are much more capable than what we have shown here. So, the inconsistency is the one we need to address. And then we actually talk about that and looking forward to having a good show," said Hathurusingha.

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