ODI World Cup 2023: Chennai And Kolkata Emerge As Possible Venues For Pakistan’s Matches- Report. According to ICC sources, the Pakistan cricket team is possibly looking to play most of their ODI World Cup 2023 matches in Eden Gardens (Kolkata) and Chepauk (Chennai). The team reportedly feels safe in these two venues based on their past tours.
World Cup 2023 is scheduled to start on October 5. A total of 46 matches will be played across 12 Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Rajkot, Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Indore, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Dharamsala. A top-level ICC executive is currently in discussions with PCB officials regarding this sensitive matter.
A source close to the ICC Board, who is tracking developments and wishes to remain anonymous, reported to PTI that the Pakistan cricket team expressed great satisfaction with the security in Kolkata during their T20 World Cup game against India in 2016. Similarly, the source mentioned that Chennai as a venue remained memorable for Pakistan and that the preference for specific venues was also about feeling safe. So, the preferences are these two cities for Pakistan’s world cup matches.
Also Read: ICC World Cup 2023 Schedule, Teams, Venues, Prize Money, And Broadcast Channel
Other Details About ICC World Cup 2023
Each team participating in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 will play nine games at the league stage, which will follow a round-robin format. In the next few months, the ICC Events Committee and the BCCI will work together to finalize the itinerary, which will allow fans worldwide to plan their travel.
ICC General Manager Wasim Khan had proposed a ‘hybrid model’ that included playing in Bangladesh, but PCB Chairman Najam Sethi rejected the idea. The BCCI has finalized the 12 venues, excluding Mohali, which hosted the 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan. Hosting Pakistan in specific venues such as Mumbai and Dharamsala may be difficult due to the current sensitive relations between India and Pakistan.
The match scheduled in Dharamsala during the 2016 World Cup was moved due to concerns over the Pathankot terrorist attack. While top-notch security will be provided for each team, the BCCI, and the Indian government will work to avoid any untoward incidents.
