The International Cricket Council (ICC) has recently confirmed changes to the schedule of nine matches in the upcoming ODI World Cup, including the India-Pakistan fixture which will now be played on October 14th instead of October 15th. This alteration, prompted by logistical challenges and concerns over security during the Navaratri festival, has caused a ripple effect on other match dates.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and England are the most affected by these changes. Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka has been moved to October 10th to provide adequate rest before their game against India. Bangladesh and England have had two changes each, and their originally-planned day-night fixture on October 10th has been changed to a day game. The Australia-South Africa match and the England-Afghanistan game has also been rescheduled.
A double-header initially set for November 12th has been moved to November 11th due to concerns from Kolkata Police regarding Kali Puja. Additionally, the league stage will now conclude with India facing the Netherlands on November 12th.
It’s worth noting that the delay In releasing the schedule has been met with scrutiny, especially considering the previous World Cups were scheduled well in advance. Despite different explanations, logistical challenges and security concerns appear to be the key drivers for these adjustments. The World Cup tournament will commence on October 5th and conclude with the final on November 18th, with the semi-finals scheduled for November 15th and 16th in Mumbai and Kolkata, respectively. Ticket sales are set to begin on August 25th.
