ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023: Pakistan Refusal To Play India In Ahmedabad Causes Delay In Schedule Announcement

The ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 is less than four months away now but the International Cricket Council (ICC) or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are yet to come out with the official schedule for the tournament. While tentatively, the tournament is supposed to get underway on October 5 and end in November, the exact dates for the ODI World Cup are yet to be announced.

The BCCI have already shared a draft schedule with the ICC during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final which was held in London last week. It is believed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are not happy that the India vs Pakistan game on October 15 is scheduled to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Pakistan cricket team are supposed to play their remaining World Cup matches in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.

According to a report in ‘The Telegraph’ newspaper, Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs hasn’t yet cleared Ahmedabad because of security issues. The PCB also wants a guarantee on the safety of players from the ICC even if the government gives the go-ahead for the game in Ahmedabad.

“Since the tour is dependent on permission from the government, the PCB has forwarded the documents to the ministry concerned which is looking into it. Given the sensitivity of the situation, a call will be taken based on what the government has to say,” a source was quoted as saying in ‘The Telegraph’ newspaper.

“The PCB has been given a time-frame to study the draft schedule and is abiding by it before giving its consent. Cricketing matters regarding the World Cup will be reviewed by the Pakistan Board while anything related to security and other issues is being dealt with by the government and other agencies concerned,” the source added.

The PCB is learnt to have raised the issue during the visit of ICC chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice to Lahore last month.

The official schedule was first supposed to be released during the WTC Final last week but PCB raised objection unless the BCCI agreed to their ‘hybrid model’ for the Asia Cup 2023. According to the ‘hybrid model’, India will play their Asia Cup matches in Sri Lanka while the rest of the tournament will be held in Pakistan.

Draft schedule of India in World Cup: [Espn Cricinfo]

IND vs AUS, Oct 8, Chennai
IND vs AFG, Oct 11, Delhi
IND vs PAK, Oct 15, Ahmedabad
IND vs BAN, Oct 19, Pune
IND vs NZ, Oct 22, Dharamsala
IND vs ENG, Oct 29, Lucknow
IND vs Qualifier, Nov 2, Mumbai
IND vs SA, Nov 5, Kolkata_ pic.twitter.com/6bur54O2L7 — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 11, 2023

The following is Team India’s itinerary according to the draft schedule of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023…

October 8: India vs Australia in Chennai

October 11: India vs Afghanistan in Delhi

October 15: India vs Pakistan in Ahmedabad

October 19: India vs Bangladesh in Pune

October 22: India vs New Zealand in Dharamsala

October 29: India vs England in Lucknow

November 2: India vs Qualifier in Mumbai

November 5: India vs South Africa in Kolkata

November 11: India vs Qualifier in Bengaluru

Pakistan will face two teams progressing from the Qualifier on October 6 and 12 in Hyderabad, and then Australia in Bengaluru (October 20), Afghanistan (October 23) and South Africa (October 27) in Chennai, Bangladesh in Kolkata (October 31), New Zealand in Bengaluru (November 5, day match) and England in Kolkata (November 12).