- High-stakes Pakistan-India clash in ICC World Cup rescheduled to October 14 in Ahmedabad.
- Scheduling change due to clash with Navratri festival prompts modification of tournament itinerary.
- Other matches also shifted; England vs. Afghanistan, Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka, and more receive new date
The intense clash between India and Pakistan in this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, initially scheduled for October 15, will now take place on October 14 (Saturday) in Ahmedabad.
The anticipated India-Pakistan match was originally set for October 15. Due to its clash with the first day of Navratri, a festival widely celebrated in Gujarat, security agencies advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to modify the schedule. Consequently, England’s match against Afghanistan in Delhi will be rescheduled from October 14 to October 15.
The Pakistan-Sri Lanka match in Hyderabad will move from Thursday, October 12 to Tuesday, October 10. Additionally, Australia’s game against South Africa in Lucknow will be delayed by 24 hours, shifting from October 13 to October 12. Similarly, New Zealand’s fixture against Bangladesh, initially a day match on October 14 in Chennai, will now become a day-night contest on October 13.
Minor changes in the initial phase include the timing alteration of England’s match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala, now starting at 10:30 AM (local time) instead of the originally scheduled day-night fixture. Towards the league stage’s conclusion, three changes involve the double-header matches of Sunday, November 12, moving a day ahead to Saturday, November 11 – Australia vs. Bangladesh in Pune (10:30 AM) and England vs. Pakistan in Kolkata (02:00 PM).
India’s final league game against the Netherlands is now rescheduled from November 11 to 12, becoming a day-night clash to be played in Bengaluru. It’s important to note that the Cricket World Cup will feature 10 teams competing across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host both the tournament opener and the final.
The World Cup will adopt a round-robin format with all teams playing each other in 45 league matches. The top four teams will progress to the semifinals, scheduled for November 15 in Mumbai and November 16 in Kolkata. Reserve days will be allocated for the semi-finals and the final.