The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially stated that there are no plans for additional changes to the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule. This clarification follows a request from the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to modify the schedule and create a gap between two consecutive matches scheduled for October 9 and 10.
While the HCA expressed its concerns about back-to-back matches, an unnamed official shared, “Back-to-back games are not ideal. Anyone would want a day in between two World Cup games. We are engaging with security agencies to see if it is possible or not. The BCCI is completely aware of what we are trying to do.”
The issue arose due to the 9 changes made by the BCCI in the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule, which included the back-to-back matches in Hyderabad. Security agencies in Hyderabad raised alarm over consecutive games and expressed their inability to provide adequate security if the New Zealand vs Netherlands match went ahead as planned.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, however, rejected the request for further alterations and emphasized that the World Cup schedule would remain unchanged. Shukla acknowledged the complexity of altering such a major tournament schedule, involving various stakeholders like teams, ICC, and others. He assured that he would address any issues related to the Hyderabad venue in a different manner.
“I am in charge of the Hyderabad venue for the World Cup. If there will be any issue or anything, I will try to get it resolved. It is not easy to change the World Cup schedule, and it’s unlikely to happen. Only the BCCI can’t change the schedule; teams, ICC, all are involved,” stated Shukla.
With the BCCI standing firm on maintaining the existing ODI World Cup 2023 schedule, cricket enthusiasts can expect the tournament to proceed as planned. The decision highlights the complexity of managing a global cricket event with multiple considerations, including security, logistics, and the involvement of various stakeholders.