World Cup 2023 schedule to undergo changes: Why schedule is being changed? What changes can take place?

The schedule for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, which is to start on 5 October, is set for a change with 70 days to go for the tournament. In fact, the original schedule for the World Cup to be hosted in India also only came out on 27 June, very late by the usual standards.

The tussle between BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board was sighted as the reason for the delay in the announcement of the World Cup schedule, but now the Indian cricket board and the ICC have been forced to revise the schedule due to demands from more than one Full Member nations.

We explain why the World Cup schedule is being revised and what changes can we expect.

Why World Cup 2023 schedule is set to change?

The BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Thursday announced that “two-three” ICC Full Member nations have raised objections to the World Cup schedule leading to changes in it. Shah’s announcement came after BCCI’s meeting in New Delhi with state associations hosting World Cup matches.

“Two-three ICC Full Member nations have raised objections regarding the schedule. The teams which have six-day gaps will be reduced and the teams which have two-day gap will be increased,” Shah said.

He, however, did not specify the name of the ICC full members who have requested a change in the schedule.

How early can we expect the changes to be made?

As per the BCCI secretary, the revised schedule should be ready in the next “two to three days”.

“We are working out with the ICC, and we should be able to clear it in two or three days,” Shah said.

What changes can we expect in the schedule?

Shah has said that only the date and time of matches will be changed and the venue will not be changed. However, he did not specify the dates and timings of which all matches will be changed.

“The logistics team of both BCCI and ICC is working on it. No venue will be changed, only date and time will be changed,” Shah declared.

Is the schedule being changed because of the IND vs PAK match clashing with the start of Navratri?

It was reported earlier that security agencies had advised BCCI to change the date of India vs Pakistan match scheduled to take place on 15 October in Ahmedabad as a result of it clashing with the start of Navratri, but Shah shot down such suggestions.

The BCCI secretary said that hosting the India-Pakistan game on 15 October in Ahmedabad is “not the problem”, instead the changes in schedule are being made due to “logistical challenges” faced by a few cricket boards.

“If security was an issue then why would the match go there (to Ahmedabad)? [October] 14-15 is not the problem. Two or three boards have written in, asking to change based on the logistical challenges. There are some matches where there is only a two-day gap, so it will be difficult to play and then travel next day [and then play again].”

When will the tickets for the World Cup come out?

It’s not possible to release tickets for matches when the schedule is not fixed, However, BCCI announced on Thursday that a joint announcement from BCCI and ICC on the ticket sales for the World Cup will be made next week.