Prior to the start of the ODI World Cup in India in October-November, the tournament is already facing several challenges due to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the hosts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), displaying unprecedented inefficiency. This has resulted in a chaotic and disorganized approach to organizing the event.
The schedule for the World Cup was unveiled with great fanfare on June 27, after significant delays. However, the ICC announced on Wednesday that it was rescheduling nine matches, including the highly anticipated India versus Pakistan match. Originally set for October 15 in Ahmedabad, the match has been moved forward by a day due to difficulties in ensuring security during the Navratri festival starting on October 15. Additionally, the start times of some matches have been changed.
Such extensive changes to the schedule highlight the poor planning by the World Cup scheduling committee. It is hoped that other aspects of the event’s organization will be more efficient.
These last-minute changes come just a couple of months before the tournament kicks off on October 5. In comparison, the schedules for the previous two tournaments in Australia and New Zealand (2015) and England and Wales (2019) were released more than a year in advance.
Tickets for the 2023 ODI World Cup will go on sale from August 25 in seven phases, making it a nightmare for fans who will have to scramble for tickets at the last minute. Non-India match tickets will be available from August 25. Fans can register their interest before the ticket sale begins to receive updates and secure their spot at the World Cup.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and England are the most affected teams by these schedule changes, as the dates for three of their matches have been altered (with England also experiencing a change in start time). The India-Pakistan match, now scheduled for October 14, has led to Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka being advanced from October 12 to October 10 to ensure sufficient rest leading up to the India match.
Other changes include the Australia-South Africa match being moved forward by a day to October 12, the England-Afghanistan match being played on October 15 instead of October 14, and the New Zealand-Bangladesh match changing from a day game on October 14 to a day-night fixture on October 13. The England-Bangladesh match in Dharamsala remains on October 10, but it will now be a day game instead of a day-night battle.
Concerns raised by the Kolkata police prompted the rescheduling of the Pakistan versus England match at the Eden Gardens from November 12 to November 11, due to the concurrent Kali Puja festival. The entire double-header scheduled for that day, including the Australia versus Bangladesh match in Pune, will also be played on November 11.
Ironically, despite all the rescheduling, there is still potential for further changes. The last game of the league stage, the India versus Netherlands match in Bengaluru, has been moved from November 11 to November 12, which coincides with Diwali.
