The highly anticipated World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, originally scheduled for October 15, will now take place on October 14 in Ahmedabad.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have agreed to reschedule the match due to security concerns during the first day of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad. The ICC will soon release an updated schedule as other games involving various teams may also be rescheduled, as reported by PTI.
Pakistan will also face Sri Lanka on October 10 in Hyderabad, creating a three-day gap before their crucial match against India.
LiveMint previously reported that the PCB had appealed to the ICC and the BCCI to change the venues for a couple of World Cup 2023 matches. However, both governing bodies rejected the request.
The specific matches in question were scheduled to take place in Chennai and Bengaluru, where Pakistan was set to play against Afghanistan and Australia, respectively.
Former PCB chief Najam Sethi’s concerns about playing against India in Ahmedabad were allegedly disregarded.
The PCB reviewed the initial schedule shared by the ICC and requested a venue swap for these matches, according to reports from Pakistani media. Despite the appeal, the ICC and BCCI jointly concluded that there were no valid reasons to alter the existing venue assignments.
Pakistan’s warning to India
Pakistan’s Sports Minister Ehsaan Mazari previously issued a strong message to India regarding the Men in Blue’s participation in the Asia Cup held in Pakistan.
Mazari stated that if India decided not to take part in the tournament on Pakistani soil, Pakistan would respond by withdrawing from the World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to be hosted in India. He emphasized that this stance was his personal opinion, but it also represented Pakistan’s position.
(With PTI inputs)