Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan cricketer, expressed his disapproval of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for allegedly using weather conditions as an excuse to avoid participating in the Asia Cup matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Media reports have suggested that Bangladeshi players are hesitant to play the tournament in the UAE due to concerns about the extremely hot weather in September.

Afridi’s remarks were made following the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send their team to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup. In an effort to find a resolution, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed a hybrid model for the tournament, splitting it into two phases. The initial phase would take place in Pakistan, excluding India, while the second phase would be held in the UAE.

Regarding the reported concerns about the weather, Afridi stressed that professional cricketers should not base their decision to play solely on weather conditions.

“As professional cricketers, you shouldn’t let weather determine your participation. We’ve played matches at Sharjah in the scorching heat at 10 am in the morning. We used to feel dizzy when going towards the boundary line. It was extremely hot. These things happen, but they also test your fitness level,” Afridi stated during an interview on a local TV channel.

“If you want to make an excuse, you can come up with anything like it being too hot in the UAE. I believe these are just excuses,” he added.

Meanwhile, an Indian media report revealed that Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and ACC chairman, has made it clear to the other countries that they do not accept the PCB’s suggested “hybrid model.” Shah recently discussed this matter with the heads of member nations and proposed that the tournament should take place at a single venue, specifically Sri Lanka.

According to the report, all other participating nations have agreed to play in Sri Lanka, and the PCB, as the designated hosts, will have to comply and play in Sri Lanka or withdraw. In this case, the four participating teams will be India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, with the inclusion of a fifth team yet to be determined.