England vs Pakistan ODI World Cup match could see date change due to Kali Puja: Report

The Cricket Association of Bengal has requested the BCCI for rescheduling the ODI World Cup league fixture between England and Pakistan, a report in ESPNCricinfo said. The said fixture is originally slated for 12 November, which is also the date of Kali Puja.

The development comes after the CAB were informed by Kolkata police that it would be difficult for them to provide security on 12 November citing the festival.

Should the game be rescheduled, this would be the second fixture involving Pakistan to have done so, after the marquee India vs Pakistan match was preponed by a day to 14 October, from 15 October. This came after the Ahmedabad Police had concerns on if they would have been able to provide security for the match on 15 October, the day of Navratri.

According to a report in news agency PTI, while CAB president Snehasish Ganguly had denied of an official request to reschedule the match, the CAB office bearers however said that the Kolkata Police had raised the concern.

“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 does not happen we would inform this to the the chief minister,” a senior CAB office-bearer said.

“We have not yet got anything officially from the Kolkata Police,” Snehasish had 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 look-out.”

“As I said, we have not got anything officially, if we get anything we will inform ICC.”

The 2023 ODI World Cup is scheduled to be held from 5 October to 19 November, but on 27 July, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said that the schedule would be subject to change.

The revised schedule is yet to be announced.