The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have turned down Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to switch their venues for the 2023 World Cup matches against Afghanistan and Australia.
The request related to contests that Babar Azam’s squad was supposed to play in Bengaluru and Chennai.
Pakistani media indicates that although as per the leaked World Cup 2023 schedule, Australia was slated to play Pakistan in Bengaluru, Chennai will host the Afghanistan encounter. Following the distribution of the World Cup’s preliminary schedule to the participating boards, the PCB requested that the ICC swap the two locations.
Chennai and Bengaluru are considered the safest options for Pakistan, offering the best facilities.
BCCI Turns Down PCB’s Request For Venue Change Stating That There Is No Reason To Alter The Grounds This Stage
The ICC and the BCCI, however, have decided that there is now no justification for changing the locations. As it stands, the hosts (BCCI) have the authority to choose the location, and any alterations must be approved by the ICC. Additionally, a change of venue can only be considered if there are security issues or if a specific location is deemed unfit for international cricket.
Najam Sethi, a former head of the PCB, too had concerns about playing India in Ahmedabad, but that plea was also ignored.
The BCCI and ICC have not yet released the whole itinerary, but according to Cricbuzz, the tournament would begin on October 5 in Ahmedabad with the 2019 finalists England and New Zealand playing.
On October 15, India and Pakistan are slated to play at the same location. The final is scheduled for November 19, also in Ahmedabad.
The programme is anticipated to be revealed during a Mumbai event the following week.