Ahmedabad to host opener, India vs Pakistan on October 15

MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the schedule for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at a ‘Countdown to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023’ event here.

Ten teams feature in what will be the biggest Cricket World Cup ever, to be played across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final.

The other nine venues are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune. Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will join Hyderabad in hosting the practice games.

Defending champions England will take on New Zealand in a much-awaited clash between the 2019 World Cup finalists that opens the tournament in Ahmedabad, while hosts India will face-off against five-time winners Australia in Chennai on October 8.

Ahmedabad will also host matches between traditional rivals India and Pakistan (October 15) and Australia and England (November 4).

Eight teams have qualified for the 46-day event through the Cricket World Cup Super League while the final two spots will be taken by the finalists of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier taking place in Zimbabwe.

The tournament retains the round-robin format of last time with all teams playing against each other for a total of 45 league matches. There are six day matches which will start at 10:30 Indian Standard Time (IST) while all other matches, including the knockouts, will be day-night fixtures starting at 1400 IST.

The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, to be played in Mumbai on November 15 and in Kolkata on November 16. The semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.

ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said: “We are delighted to release the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 schedule which is always a huge occasion ahead of any global event.

“Hundreds of millions of fans around the world will be part of what we hope will be the greatest ever Men’s Cricket World Cup and we know in India the teams will enjoy a unique electric atmosphere concluding with the winners lifting the trophy in the biggest cricket stadium in the world in Ahmedabad.”

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said: “It’s a matter of great honour and pride to be hosting the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in different cities across India, showcasing the rich diversity of our country.”

“The fervour and passion for cricket in India is unique. I am sure fans both here and abroad would be looking forward to the tournament’s return to India for the first time since 2011, when our team became the first to lift the trophy on home soil.

“I wish all the teams the very best in their preparations and look forward to hosting what promises to be another exciting tournament.”

If the West Indies qualify, they will be Q1 irrespective of where they finish in the Qualifiers. If Sri Lanka qualify, they will be Q2 irrespective of where they finish in the Qualifiers. If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata. If India qualify for the semifinals, they will play in Mumbai unless playing against Pakistan, in which case they will play in Kolkata. IANS

Also Read: ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule: Guwahati to Host Warm-Up Matches

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