Punjab sports minister questions Mohali's absence from ICC's list of venues for 2023 Cricket World Cup

Punjab sports minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Friday expressed displeasure over the exclusion of Mohali’s PCA IS Bindra Stadium from ICC’s list of venues for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.

The ICC had on Tuesday announced the full schedule of the upcoming World Cup with 10 cities set to host matches. Mohali, which had hosted the Australia vs West Indies semi-final in the 1996 edition and the blockbuster India vs Pakistan semi-final in 2011, did not figure in that list.

Read | BCCI’s Rajeev Shukla denies ‘political interference’ in venue allocation

Hayer, who is an MLA with the Aam Aadmi Party from the Barnala constituency, wrote a lengthy letter addressed to BCCI president Roger Binny in which he shared his concerns on the matter.

“In the media statement of the Vice President BCCI, Mr. Rajiv Shukla, he has been said that the PCA Stadium Mohali does not meet the criteria of the ICC to hold the match,” Hayer wrote in the letter.

“I want to know what was the ICC criteria based on which Mohali was considered ineligible for the match. Apart from this, any change made in the norms at present should also be brought to light as the India-Australia International T20 match was played in September 2022. Besides, ODI World Cup
matches including two Semi Finals were also played in the past.

“It should also be stated whether the ICC team visited the Mohali Stadium to inspect the standards?” added Hayer.

Sports Minister @Meet_Hayer while expressing displeasure and objection over not including Mohali in the list of hosting cities for ODI World Cup-2023, has asked BCCI to reconsider this decision. Cabinet Minister has written D.O. to @BCCI President Roger Binny and (1/2) pic.twitter.com/TYDBAd1CdC

— Government of Punjab (@PunjabGovtIndia) June 30, 2023

Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium was awarded the lion’s share of the most prominent matches — the opening fixture between England and New Zealand on 5 October, the India-Pakistan match on 15 October and the final on 19 November. Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata’s Eden Gardens will host the two semi-finals.

Read | ‘Politics is being played’ — BCCI faces flak over World Cup venues

Besides Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Dharamsala and Pune have been picked as venues for the World Cup. Additionally, Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium and Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium will be hosting warm-up fixtures along with Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium between 29 September and 3 October.

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