The commencement of ticket sales for the initial phase is just around the corner, marking the countdown of less than two months until World Cup 2023. The ICC and BCCI postponed the release of the schedule for the upcoming ODI World Cup.
In recent editions, the itineraries were disclosed over a year in advance. Once the BCCI and ICC did unveil the schedule for the upcoming 50-over World Cup, nine matches were later altered for various reasons.
Currently, the possibility of additional modifications arises due to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) stating that the local police cannot ensure sufficient security for back-to-back matches, including one with Pakistan.
A match between New Zealand and Netherlands is set to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad, on October 9th. On the subsequent day, Pakistan is scheduled to play against Sri Lanka at the same venue.
The Indian Express reports that HCA officials were not given advance notice regarding the rescheduling of these matches. It’s worth mentioning that the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match was initially set for October 12.
However, due to the rescheduling of the India-Pakistan match from October 15 to October 14, the change was made to provide sufficient time between the two games for Babar Azam’s team.
The highly-anticipated India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad was shifted to October 14 because the original date, October 15, overlapped with the first day of the Navratri festival, which is celebrated grandly in Gujarat.
Additionally, the England versus Pakistan fixture originally set for November 12 in Kolkata was moved to November 11 due to a clash with Kali Puja.
The initial stage of ticket sales commences on August 25th
Tickets will be offered to fans in seven different phases, ensuring a convenient process. From August 25th onwards, tickets for warm-up matches not involving India and all matches featuring countries other than India will be up for grabs.
With just a few days remaining until the initial ticket sales phase, it will be intriguing to observe the BCCI’s response to the issue raised by HCA.
The 2023 World Cup will kick off with defending champions England facing the previous edition’s finalists, New Zealand, at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5th.
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