World Cup 2023: More matches along with India vs Pakistan clash likely to be rescheduled
ICC sources say the preponement of the India vs Pakistan clash will also lead to a change in the date of Pakistan’s October 12 tie against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad. It is likely to be played on October 10 to allow Pakistan enough gap between the two games. If the same logic is applied then Pakistan's match against the Netherlands, which is scheduled to take place on October 6 at the same venue in Hyderabad could also be preponed by a day or two.
The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan match in ICC World Cup 2023 will likely be rescheduled to October 14 instead of 15. There will be no change in the venue - Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad - of the big-ticket clash. With the marquee match comprising the two arch-rivals set to be played in the world's highest-capacity stadium, BCCI and ICC officials say that venue would not change. However, It isn't unprecedented that PCB would call for changes in venues for an ICC event in India.
After a visit of their security delegation ahead of the 2016 T20 World Cup, they had forced a change in venue of their league tie against India from Dharmshala to Kolkata.
A formal announcement on the same is expected on Thursday after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gets a green signal from the top-level committee formed by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Once that happens, PCB will have no worries about sending their team to India for the ICC event slated to begin on October 5. They, however, might request to do a recce of all the venues in India where they are scheduled to play. Reports in Pakistan media suggest that PCB will form a security a special security unit to do that.
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ICC sources say the preponement of the India vs Pakistan clash will also lead to a change in the date of Pakistan's October 12 tie against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad. It is likely to be played on October 10 to allow Pakistan enough gap between the two games. If the same logic is applied then Pakistan's match against the Netherlands, which is scheduled to take place on October 6 at the same venue in Hyderabad could also be preponed by a day or two.
The primary reason for the change of dates of the Indian vs Pakistan match is the start of the Navratri festival. Security arrangements would have been difficult if the match was held on its original date of October 15.
The ICC and BCCI had approached the PCB for the rescheduling of two of its group matches including the one against India in Ahmedabad.
Interestingly, the rescheduling of Pakistan's few group matches is not the only change the ODI World Cup fixtures will when ICC announces a revised version. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, a couple of days ago, confirmed that a few other member boards had requested some tweaks in their respective schedules. What this means is that a few matches of those teams are also likely to be rescheduled.
The World Cup begins with the last edition's finalists, England and New Zealand locking horns on October 5 in Ahmedabad. Hosts India start their journey against Australia three days later on October 8 at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The two semi-finals of the tournament are slated to take place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 15 and at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 16. The final will be played in Ahmedabad on November 19. There won't be any changes in the dates of these three knockout matches. However, there is a catch, if India qualify for the semi-final, they will play that in Mumbai unless it is against Pakistan, whose semi-final will be in Kolkata at all cost.
Meanwhile, the tickets for the group stage encounters of the World Cup are likely to go for sale in the second week of this month.
