HCA: Can’t host consecutive World Cup matches
With the 50-over Cricket World Cup just a month and a half away and ticket sales about to begin in less than a week, there’s been yet another request to adjust the schedule. This comes after the schedule was already changed once duße to delays in its original announcement. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking for a change in the schedule. They want a gap between two games that they are hosting on consecutive days. First, the New Zealand-Netherlands match is set to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal on October 9, followed by the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match on the next day.
The Pakistan-Sri Lanka match was initially planned for October 12 but was moved earlier to give Pakistan more time between matches after their game against India was rescheduled. Additionally, Hyderabad is also hosting the Pakistan-Netherlands match on October 6.
The World Cup will be held in India from October 5 to November 19. The original schedule was announced with just 100 days left for the tournament, quite different from the previous two World Cups (in 2015 and 2019), where the schedules were known more than a year in advance.
The original 2023 World Cup schedule has already gone through significant changes, with nine games being rescheduled. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan match was initially planned for October 15, which coincided with the Navratri festival in Gujarat. Due to this clash, the match was moved up by a day.
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Similarly, the Pakistan-England match in Kolkata was originally set for November 12, clashing with the Kali Puja festival. Due to this clash, the game was shifted to November 11, leading to adjustments in the schedule of other matches as well. These changes were necessary to ensure that teams had enough time between games for travel, rest, and training.
The delay in requesting changes by the HCA is unclear. However, it seems that the Hyderabad Police informed the HCA that they couldn’t manage the security for two back-to-back games, especially the one involving Pakistan. Around 3,000 police personnel would be needed for one game, with a significant number dedicated to the security of the Pakistan team’s hotel. The police informed the HCA that they couldn’t provide adequate security for the Pakistan match if the other game (New Zealand vs Netherlands) remained on the same date.
It’s uncertain whether the Indian cricket board will adjust the schedule at this point, especially considering that ticket sales are starting on August 25 in multiple phases. Nine out of the 45 league matches were rescheduled just ten days ago.
As the World Cup approaches, fans planning to attend matches may face inconvenience due to these delays and changes. Those traveling from abroad might be particularly affected as airfares and hotel prices are likely to rise, making it more costly to enjoy the World Cup at the various venues.
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