Slightly over a week has elapsed since the ICC dropped a bombshell with major shake-ups in the Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule, tweaking as many as nine fixtures, including the high-voltage clash between cricket giants India and Pakistan. But as the countdown to the tournament commences, and fans worldwide gear up to snag their tickets, a curveball has been thrown at the BCCI and ICC with a fresh, last-minute request for yet another schedule shuffle.
In a twist reported by the Indian Express, it appears the Hyderabad Police have sounded the alarm bells over security concerns. The revamped World Cup schedule thrusts the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium into hosting back-to-back matches. On October 9, the stadium is slated to showcase New Zealand taking on the Netherlands, and hot on its heels, a showdown between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the very next day. This prompted the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to send an SOS to the BCCI, urging for more breathing space between these marquee matches.
Also read: HCA late demand for ODI World Cup schedule change puts BCCI on sword, Know how
The HCA claims that none of the BCCI honchos reached out for a chat before reshuffling the dates. The HCA bigwigs were instead clued in by none other than the Hyderabad Police, who flagged up the impending issue. Apparently, the security squad expressed concerns over their ability to ensure foolproof security, particularly for the high-stakes Pakistan game. Wrangling security for a solo World Cup match requires a small army of around 3000 police personnel, and even more manpower is allocated to guard the hotel where the Pakistan team will stay.
Word is that the HCA is fretting that the rapid-fire back-to-back World Cup matches could punch holes in the security setup, a worrying prospect, especially for the big-ticket Pakistan clash. As news of the potential schedule change spread, fans took to social media to express their opinions and also took a dig at both the BCCI and Jay Shah. Check some of the fans’ reactions below.
The World Cup 2023 schedule has already undergone significant upheaval, witnessing the rescheduling of a whopping nine matches. Originally, the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash was set for October 15 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, coinciding with the commencement of the lively Navratri festival celebrated fervently in Gujarat. To avoid this date clash, the game was shifted a day earlier.
Likewise, Kolkata was initially slated to host the Pakistan-England match on November 12, which coincided with the significant Kali Puja festival in Bengal. This match has now been moved to November 11. These adjustments consequently led to a cascade of changes, as other matches had to be shuffled around to fit into the new gaps in the schedule. For instance, when the India-Pakistan game was shifted to October 14, it created a scheduling conflict with three other matches on the same day, prompting further alterations. Moreover, the modifications were strategically implemented to ensure that teams enjoyed a reasonable interval between fixtures, allowing time for travel, recuperation, and training in between matches.
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