More changes expected in schedule of Cricket World Cup 2023

• There may be more changes to ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 schedule.
• The match between Pakistan and England has been moved to November 11.
• The changes to the schedule are expected to be finalized in the next few days.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah, has announced that the schedule for the International Cricket Cup (ICC) 2023 ODI World Cup will be changed due to complaints from several Full Member countries.

The tournament was initially scheduled to be held in India from October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

According to Indian media reports, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested the ICC to change the schedule for the match between Pakistan and England, which is set to take place on November 12.

The reason behind the request is that the game coincides with Kali Puja, the second biggest festival in West Bengal. A large police contingent will be deployed across the city to maintain law and order during the festival, making it difficult to provide security personnel for Eden Gardens, the venue for the match.

While CAB President Snehasish Ganguly denied sending the request, Kolkata Police has raised concerns about the security situation, as reported by Indian media, citing senior CAB officials. In response to these issues, the ICC has decided to make changes to the tournament schedule.

A senior CAB office-bearer reportedly said: “Kolkata Police has cited concerns to provide security for the match slated on Diwali.

“We have informed the ICC and BCCI to reschedule it and if it does not happen we would inform this to the chief minister.”

During the meeting with the 17-person ICC and BCCI inspection team, this official attended.

The CAB chairman, however, kept quiet about the situation while waiting for official confirmation before bringing it up with the ICC.

“We have not yet got anything officially from the Kolkata Police,” Snehasish, the elder brother of Sourav Ganguly said.

“Unless we get something officially, we can’t inform the ICC. Security issue is being taken care of by the Kolkata Police. That is not our lookout. As I said, we have not got anything officially, if we get anything we will inform ICC.”

The Indian media source further mentioned that top CAB officials recently paid a visit to the Lalbazar headquarters of the Kolkata Police.

However, Snehasish described the encounter as a “courtesy call”.

“We went to Kolkata Police for a courtesy visit two days ago, we had a discussion with them. The schedule, plan and how we are preparing the stadium were discussed,” he said.

The England-Pakistan match has already been moved from November 12 to November 11, according to international sports media, after the Kolkata Police met with CAB and expressed their expectations for increased security for the Pakistan match.

“There could be few changes in the schedule”

According to media sources from last week, the India-Pakistan match may have been changed since it was scheduled for the first day of Navratri, a festival that is widely observed throughout Gujarat.

Security organizations have encouraged the BCCI to modify the schedule in light of the event, citing an inability to offer sufficient security.

Jay, though, disregarded the reports.

“If security was an issue, why would the match go there [to Ahmedabad]? [October] 14-15 is not the problem. Two or three boards have written in, asking to change based on the logistical challenges.

“There are some matches where there is only a two-day gap, so it will be difficult to play and then travel next day [and then play again],” Shah said after a BCCI meeting in Delhi on Thursday.

“As far as possible, we are looking at not changing the venue as well as the matches. Not changing the venue is very important.

“Teams which have six-day gaps between matches, we are trying to reduce it to four-five days; and those that have just two-day gaps, we are trying to increase to three days.”

Shah also acknowledged that a few of the full members had asked for the schedule of a few of the mega event’s matches to be altered.

“There is a possibility there could be few changes in the schedule. Several Full Member countries have written in requesting to change two or three dates in the schedule. We are working out with the ICC, and we should be able to clear it in two or three days,” he concluded.

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