BCCI draws criticism for World Cup 2023 venue selection: Allegations of political maneuvering

ICC Announces Schedule for 2023 Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the much-awaited schedule for the 2023 Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup. With 100 days remaining until the tournament kicks off, the schedule reveals that the tournament opener will be held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5, and the finale will take place on November 19. The semifinals will be held in Mumbai and Kolkata on November 15 and 16, respectively.

This World Cup is set to be the largest ICC event in history, with matches being hosted in 10 different venues. In addition to the aforementioned cities, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Pune will also be hosting matches. While the selection of venues usually favors metro cities, the distribution is done zone-wise, and the suggestions of the local organizing committee, in this case, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), often hold sway.

However, the inclusion of some big venues for the World Cup has left officials from several major cities disappointed. Mohali, Indore, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Nagpur are among the cities that have missed out on hosting matches. The Holkar Stadium in Indore, for example, has regularly hosted international games across formats and recently staged a Test in the Border-Gavaskar Test series. The president of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, Abhilash Khandekar, expressed his disappointment over Indore being left out, noting the city’s rich cricketing history and previous experience as a World Cup venue.

Another venue that missed out on hosting a World Cup match is Mohali, which has hosted games in every World Cup since 1996. A source from the Punjab Cricket Association expressed disappointment, suggesting that only metros and cities with office bearers in the BCCI were given matches. Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer even went as far as to say that the decision to exclude Mohali from the fixture seemed politically motivated.

While some cities have missed out, others, like Ahmedabad and Dharamsala, have been awarded multiple matches, including the tournament opener and the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash. The distribution of matches has raised questions about the fairness of the selection process and the influence of politics.

With the schedule now announced, cricket fans around the world can start eagerly anticipating the 2023 Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup. The tournament promises to deliver thrilling matches and showcase the best of international cricket. Stay tuned for more updates as the event draws closer.

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Original Story at www.hindustantimes.com – 2023-06-28 01:49:02