More changes in ICC World Cup fixtures expected

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that since "several Full Member countries" have complained about the fixture of the tournament, the International Cricket Cup (ICC) 2023 ODI World Cup schedule, will be changed.

These developments come only a month after the BCCI and the ICC finally announced the much-awaited schedule for the tournament scheduled to be held in India from October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Indian media reported Saturday that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested the ICC recce team to change the schedule for the match between Pakistan and England — on November 12 — since the game would coincide with Kali Puja.

Kali Puja is the second biggest festival in West Bengal and a large police contingent will be stationed across the city to maintain law and order situation. This would make it impossible for the government to deploy security personnel for Eden Gardens' duty.

While CAB President Snehasish Ganguly denied sending the request, Kolkata Police has raised a security issue, Indian media reported, citing senior CAB officials.

A senior CAB office-bearer reportedly said: "Kolkata Police has cited concerns to provide security for the match slated on Diwali.

"We have informed the ICC and BCCI to reschedule it and if it does not happen we would inform this to the the chief minister."

This official was part of the meeting with the 17-member ICC and BCCI inspection team.

The CAB chief, however, remained tightlipped on the matter, awaiting an official confirmation before taking it forward to the ICC.

Snehasish, who is the elder brother of former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly, said: "We have not yet got anything officially from the Kolkata Police."

"Unless we get something officially, we can't inform the ICC. Security issue is being taken care of by the Kolkata Police. That is not our look-out. As I said, we have not got anything officially, if we get anything we will inform ICC."

The Indian media report further added that some of the top officials of CAB visited the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar a few days back.

Snehasish, however, termed the visit a "courtesy call".

"We went to Kolkata Police for a courtesy visit two days ago, we had a discussion with them. The schedule, plan and how we are preparing the stadium were discussed," he said.

Meanwhile, ESPNCricinfo reported that that CAB has already made the request to BCCI to pull the England-Pakistan match from November 12 to 11, following the Kolkata Police's meeting with CAB in which they relayed that they are expecting an increase in security for the Pakistan match.

'ODI World Cup schedule will undergo changes'

Last week media reports claimed that there was a possible change in the match between India-Pakistan since it fell on the first day of Navratri — a festival celebrated with mass participation across Gujarat.

In light of the festival, security agencies had advised the BCCI to tweak the itinerary, citing an inability to provide adequate security.

However, Jay brushed the reports aside.

"If security was an issue, why would the match go there [to Ahmedabad]? [October] 14-15 is not the problem. Two or three boards have written in, asking to change based on the logistical challenges.

"There are some matches where there is only a two-day gap, so it will be difficult to play and then travel next day [and then play again],” Shah said after a BCCI meeting in Delhi on Thursday.

"As far as possible, we are looking at not changing the venue as well as the matches. Not changing the venue is very important.

"Teams which have six-day gaps between matches, we are trying to reduce it to four-five days; and those that have just two-day gaps, we are trying to increase to three days."

Shah also confirmed that several full members have asked to change the schedule of some of the matches in the mega event.

"There is a possibility there could be few changes in the schedule. Several Full Member countries have written in requesting to change two or three dates in the schedule. We are working out with the ICC, and we should be able to clear it in two or three days,” he concluded.