ICC WC 2023
Just days before ticket sales were set to begin for the Cricket World Cup in 2023, there was a fresh stumbling block that the BCCI and ICC, the organizers of the tournament, were facing. The official schedule for the Cricket World Cup was initially revealed on June 27. However, shortly after that, some state associations and participating teams started to voice their concerns about the schedule.
These concerns ranged from issues like not having enough security due to local festivities to not having sufficient rest time between matches. After a series of discussions and negotiations, a revised schedule was put forward on August 9. This revised schedule included changes to nine matches, including the much-awaited India-Pakistan match. Along with the new schedule, the dates for ticket sales were also announced, with the first batch of tickets set to go on sale on August 25.
But as of August 20, a report from The Indian Express suggests that there might be further changes to the Cricket World Cup schedule. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has requested the BCCI to allow for a gap between two matches that are scheduled to take place at the venue on October 9 and October 10.
Initially, Hyderabad was supposed to host a match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on October 12. However, due to changes in the India-Pakistan match schedule, this game was moved up to October 10. Additionally, Hyderabad is also scheduled to host a match between New Zealand and the Netherlands on October 9. This back-to-back arrangement is causing issues for the HCA.
The report highlights that the local police in Hyderabad have raised concerns about ensuring adequate security for two consecutive matches, especially one involving Pakistan. It’s also mentioned that the HCA wasn’t consulted by the BCCI before making these changes to the schedule. This is why the HCA is now bringing up these concerns more than ten days after the revised schedule was announced.
Both the BCCI and ICC have already faced criticism for their handling of the Cricket World Cup schedule and the ticketing process. It’s uncertain whether they will make further adjustments to the schedule just a few days before the ticket sales are set to start.