The 2023 World Cup schedule is likely to be changed further. CAB has reportedly sent a request to BCCI for rescheduling of England vs Pakistan match, citing the reason of inadequate security due to Kali Puja celebration. The match was set to be played on November 12.
Some senior members of CAB have disclosed that the board has requested BCCI to reschedule England vs. Pakistan match. However, the CAB chief has denied this news.
If the report is found true, BCCI could face another setback a week after Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, confirmed rescheduling the 2023 ICC World Cup fixture due to complaints from “several Full Member countries” regarding the schedule of the tournament. Unfortunately, the latest developments surfaced a month after ICC and BCCI made public the World Cup schedule. The competition will take off from October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
A report on PTI disclosed yesterday that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested BCCI to reschedule the November 12 Cup fixture between England and Pakistan because the date marks celebration of Kali Puja. Therefore, police will have limited resources for security cover for the World Cup match at Eden Gardens.
If it comes to grandeur of celebration, Kali Puja is only next to Durga Puja in West Bengal. Thousands of clubs organize Kali Puja across the City of Joy, with lakhs of devotees and pandal-hoppers crowding Kolkata. A large number of police is deployed to maintain law and order situation and hence, a separate deployment for Eden Gardens duty is most unlikely.
Snehasish Ganguly, the president of CAB, has denied that BCCI has urged ICC for a change in England vs Pakistan match schedule though some senior members have spilled the beans.
This is not the first time for BCCI to be requested for a schedule change. The India vs Pakistan fixture at Ahmedabad, scheduled to take place on October 15, was moved as the date coincides Navaratri celebrations. Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match in Hyderabad has already been shifted to October 10 from October 12. If the date is changed, England vs Pakistan match will be the third game to be rescheduled. The 2023 World Cup Schedule has already suffered multiple delays due to previous editions. Though CA and ECB gave a year’s notice, BCCI had 3 months for the opening match of the tournament. Now it seems that there will be further changes in the schedule.
