The India vs Pakistan game at this year’s ODI World Cup is on schedule to take place on October 14, 2023. Cricket governing bodies of both teams have reached an agreement to bring the match day (originally scheduled for October 15, 2023) 24 hours behind to accommodate new developments.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chair, Jay Shah, made this known in July 2023. He also confirmed that the new changes to this schedule would see matches scheduled for other teams moved to new dates.
What Caused the Sudden Change of India vs Pakistan Match at ODI World Cup 2023?
The original date (October 15, 2023) falls on the first day of Navaratri, a revered Hindu festival. Local police at the hosting city requested a shift in the date to avoid a security nightmare. BCCI officials relayed the police’s message to ICC officials who worked out the details and agreed a shift to original match days.
Will Rescheduled ODI World Cup 2023 Matches Take Place at New Venues?
There is no current indication that the ODI World Cup 2023 will see rescheduled matches assume new dates. However, fans and commentators should wait for the new confirmed fixture schedules to see if the organizers will make any venue changes.
It is already clear that the game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now take place on October 10, 2023, two days earlier than the pre-planned date. Reports have not shown that there will be any changes to the venue schedule for Pakistan v Sri Lanka.
What is Pakistan’s Current Schedule at the ODI World Cup?
Two changes have been confirmed to Pakistan’s match schedule at the ODI World Cup. This development came after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials agreed to the date changes:
- October 6, 2023 – vs. Netherlands in Hyderabad
- October 10, 2023 – vs. Sri Lanka in Hyderabad
- October 12, 2023 – vs. India in Ahmedabad
- October 20, 2023 – vs. Australia in Bengaluru
- October 23, 2023 – vs. Afghanistan in Chennai
- October 27, 2023 – vs. South Africa in Chennai
- October 31, 2023 – vs. Bangladesh in Kolkata
- November 4, 2023 – vs. New Zealand in Bengaluru
It’s worth noting that these dates are subject to change if the BCCI plans to reschedule Pakistan’s match days entirely.
When Will the New Schedule for India vs Pakistan Come Out?
The International Cricket Council will release a new schedule to reflect changes requested by BCCI officials and members of other cricket boards. Games involving India, Pakistan, and few other teams will get new dates. This development doesn’t sit well with several English cricket broadcasters and commentators from other countries.
ECBs Blasts BCCI, Claims the Body is Incompetent for Haphazard Scheduling
Current BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, revealed in July that the scheduled game between India vs. Pakistan would happen later. He also added that few games will get new dates ahead of the cricket showdown later this year.
A group of English cricket broadcasters (ECBs) have come out to lampoon the BCCI for their disorganized scheduling of late. The broadcasters – Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins – criticized the BCCI for making a mess of the entire schedule to accommodate the requests of few cricket boards:
“The 50-over Men’s World Cup in October/November this year, the schedule is changing. Because a number of host boards have written to the BCCI and said, ‘the schedule don’t work’…’There’s too many logistical hurdles you’re making us jump through here. You’ve got to give us more time for travel and so on.” Collins said in a recent podcast. Echoing his colleague’s comments, Lemon had this to say:
“The BCCI I think, must be the most incompetent major sporting body in the world. It’s pretty hard
to make the argument otherwise, just on purely the practical grounds that we’re laying here…There is a World Cup in now, what, under three months that still doesn’t have a reliable fixture…You can’t book to go to games because they might change to another city and date entirely…The BCCI, I don’t think they are evil… They’re just really bad at doing stuff,“
Is This India’s First Time of Hosting an ODI World Cup?
The BCCI is hosting its first-ever cricket World Cup alone. India has been a co-host on three different occasions – 1987, 1996, & 2011. They hosted the tournaments with Pakistan (1987), Sri Lanka (1996), and Bangladesh (2011) respectively.
As a first-time sole host, it is not out of place to expect some mistakes from BCCI. However, cricket boards of other teams expect a spectacle to behold when the first bowler and batter step up for action later this year.
