The reason behind the absence of Pakistan’s name on the Asia Cup 2023 jerseys is as follows:
Commencing on Wednesday, the Asia Cup 2023, a significant continental cricket tournament, commenced with a remarkable performance by Pakistan, who secured a commanding victory against Nepal in the inaugural match held at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Nonetheless, the tournament’s outset was accompanied by a controversy concerning the official team jerseys, specifically the absence of the host country’s name.
In the lead-up to the event, all participating teams unveiled their jerseys for the Asia Cup. However, observant fans noted a peculiar detail: Pakistan’s name was conspicuously missing beneath the Asia Cup logo on the jerseys.
This omission prompted discussions and raised questions among fans, who were curious about the rationale behind excluding Pakistan’s name from the jerseys.
The context of this situation is that Pakistan is co-hosting the tournament alongside Sri Lanka this year. This joint hosting arrangement was necessitated by India’s reservations about playing in Pakistan, its rival country.
Interestingly, fans pointed out that in the previous year, even though the Asia Cup was held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to political and economic turmoil in the scheduled host country, Sri Lanka’s name was indeed present on the Asia Cup kits.
In response, insiders affiliated with the relevant authorities have shed light on the matter. According to these sources, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), responsible for organizing the Asia Cup annually, had made a decision in the 15th edition of the tournament, which took place in the UAE in 2022. During that event, the ACC opted not to feature the host country’s name alongside the year on the jerseys.
This decision was driven by the ACC’s concern over jersey variability; some of the Asia Cup 2022 jerseys had featured Sri Lanka’s name, while others only displayed the year. To establish a consistent jersey appearance and broaden their reach, the ACC’s solution was to forgo the inclusion of both the host country’s name and the tournament year.
Consequently, this year’s Asia Cup jerseys solely showcase the tournament’s logo, adhering to the ACC’s strategy for standardized jersey design and wider distribution.