Fans are facing another source of concern as the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is requesting a reschedule of the ODI World Cup 2023 warm-up match between Pakistan and New Zealand, originally set for September 29, citing security worries. Security agencies have cited their inability to ensure adequate security because of the festivals Ganesh Visarjan and Milan-Un-Nabi, which conclude on September 28.
Furthermore, there are concerns regarding two consecutive ODI World Cup 2023 league games scheduled for October 9 and October 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The security agencies have once again expressed reservations about these matches. The HCA has communicated their concerns to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), particularly as tickets for these ODI World Cup games have been put on sale.
The HCA is frustrated by the lack of proper communication from the Indian cricket board. They have not received an official letter with the revised schedule, despite their efforts to convince local authorities who are requesting official correspondence from the ICC or BCCI regarding the schedule changes. While the Indian board confirmed the previous schedule in June, there has been no communication since then.
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Local authorities have informed the HCA to reconsider the matches scheduled for October 9 and 10, as they are unable to provide adequate security coverage for one of these games. The game on October 10 involves Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the match on the 9th is between New Zealand and Netherlands. The Hyderabad Police have indicated that they cannot manage the security arrangements required, especially for the Pakistan game.
Around 3,000 police officers will be assigned to ensure security for a single game, and a significant contingent of police personnel will be stationed at the hotel where the Pakistan team will be accommodated. The police have reportedly conveyed to the HCA that they cannot guarantee sufficient security for the Pakistan game if the other game (New Zealand vs Netherlands) is also played on its originally scheduled date.
