BCCI has shut down requests of yet another World Cup Schedule change. Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) had requested for a change in dates after being awarded back-to-back games on October 9 and 10. However, the BCCI has rejected the request, suggesting it would be too late to make a change.
The HCA were concerned that back-to-back games would stain security arrangements, especially with the Pakistan Cricket Team in action on October 10. Babar and Co face Sri Lanka a day after New Zealand face the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The latter match was originally planned for October 12, but it was moved up a day to give Pakistan adequate time to recover from their encounter with India. Pakistan and the Netherlands will play in Hyderabad on October 6.
This demand by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) came with less than a week till the start of ticket sales for the 50-over World Cup 2023. BCCI naturally disregarded the claim, suggesting it was too late to tweak the World Cup Schedule. The Indian Cricket Board had already made large scale changes after intially releasing the schedule on June 27.
“We have engaged in discussions with the BCCI, and they have indicated that changing the schedule is not feasible at this point. Therefore, we have concurred to collaborate,” stated Durga Prasad, a member of the team appointed by the Supreme Court administrator L Nageswara Rao, speaking to Cricbuzz.
HCA officials held extensive conversations with BCCI CEO Hemang Amin on Monday to discuss the arrangements. Among the bone of contentions is practice venues for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. With a game 24 hours prior, the two teams will not have the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium for practice. The HCA thus have now made alternate arrangements at the Gymkhana ground.
The World Cup 2023 schedule has already undergone significant upheaval, witnessing the rescheduling of a whopping nine matches. Originally, the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash was set for October 15 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, coinciding with the commencement of the lively Navratri festival celebrated fervently in Gujarat. To avoid this date clash, the game was shifted a day earlier.
Hyderabad World Cup matches
- Pakistan vs Netherlands on October 6
- New Zealand vs Netherlands on October 9
- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka on October 10
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