World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s schedule likely to be changed once again

• Police raise alarms over providing security for back-to-back games.
• Request comes with less 2 two months remaining before World Cup.
• Police concerned about events taking place on October 9 and 10.

The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to change the schedule of two games of the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 in India amid security concerns raised by the local police, The Indian Express reported on Sunday.

The HCA’s request came with less than two months remaining before the start of the mega cricket event. 

According to the Indian media outlet, Hyderabad Police raised alarms over providing security for back-to-back games, the New Zealand-Netherlands match on October 9, and especially the Pakistan-Sri Lanka fixture on October 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal.

The Pakistan-Sri Lanka match was earlier scheduled for October 12 but the date was later changed to provide Pakistan with enough time between fixtures after their match with India on October 14.

It must be noted that earlier this month nine matches of the World Cup were rescheduled but, according to the report, the HCA were not consulted on the matter due to why they were forced to file a request for a change in the itinerary.

Reportedly, the Hyderabad Police informed the HCA that they won’t be able to handle two back-to-back games and the security arrangements required, especially for the Pakistan game. 

As many as 3,000 police personnel will be deployed for one game and a large number of police personnel will be stationed at the hotel where the Pakistan team will be put up. 

"The police is learnt to have informed HCA that they won’t be able to provide adequate security for the Pakistan game in case the other game (New Zealand vs Netherlands) is played on the scheduled date,” the report added.

With the tickets set to go on sale from August 25, it was still unclear whether the BCCI would accept HCA’s request and change the schedule once again.

The India and Pakistan match was originally set to take place on October 15 but since the tournament’s most anticipated game was clashing with the first day of Navratri, a festival celebrated with mass participation across Gujarat, security agencies had advised the BCCI to change the itinerary.

It is pertinent to mention that 10 teams would fight for the elusive title across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final.

The Cricket World Cup would be played in the round-robin format with all teams playing against each other for a total of 45 league matches.

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