The much-awaited India-Pakistan sport within the 50-over World Cup will now be performed on October 14 as an alternative of October 15. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has obtained the approval for the change in schedule from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
It can also be learnt that other than Pakistan’s sport towards India on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the date for his or her conflict with Sri Lanka in Hyderabad has additionally been modified. Instead of October 12 because it was within the unique schedule, the sport has been introduced ahead a few days to October 10.
This paper was the primary to report that the date for the India-Pakistan sport was prone to be modified as it will coincide with the primary day of the Navratri pageant, celebrated with a lot fervour in Gujarat.
The revised schedule would give Pakistan three days between their matches towards Sri Lanka and India, as an alternative of two days because it was based on the unique itinerary. It is known that Sri Lanka Cricket has given a thumbs as much as the proposed modification within the fixture.
After the conflict with India, Pakistan’s subsequent sport shall be towards Australia in Bengaluru on October 20.
For Sri Lanka, it will be a fast turnaround after their opening World Cup fixture towards South Africa in Delhi on October 7. After the Pakistan sport, they’re scheduled to face Australia in Lucknow on October 16.
After the sport towards Afghanistan in Delhi on October 11, the hosts will now have three days earlier than the Pakistan match, as an alternative of 4 earlier. India’s subsequent sport is towards Bangladesh in Pune on October 19.
The new schedule now has three matches on October 14. Apart from the India-Pakistan fixture, Bangladesh and New Zealand play a day sport in Chennai earlier than defending champions England face Afghanistan in Delhi within the afternoon.
Tinkering
BCCI secretary Jay Shah had acknowledged final week that the India-Pakistan match might be rescheduled, or its timings modified, however gained’t be moved from Ahmedabad. He had added that it was not the one contest that would see a change, as there have been requests by some member boards to tinker with three or 4 fixtures.
“Two or three member boards have requested for a tweaking of the schedule, and it’s their right. We are working on it with the ICC. The venues will not change, as it will give rise to several logistical challenges. What we are looking at is that if a team has six days between matches, we reduce it to five, and if a team has two days between games, we make it three. Teams should get adequate time to travel, rest and train between matches at a World Cup,” Shah had instructed reporters final week.
Declining to call which video games have an opportunity to be rescheduled, the BCCI secretary mentioned it was a job to be coordinated between the logistical arms of the Indian board and the ICC.
However, change of date means a logistical nightmare awaits followers who’ve finalised journey plans for the sport – for which tickets get bought out inside hours, and which brings sky-high TRPs for broadcasters.
Reports from Ahmedabad say that almost all resorts are already over-booked for mid-October and even homestay choices have been exhausted. A surge in airfares is anticipated as nicely. Mass cancellation and frenzied bookings are on the playing cards after the brand new date for the India-Pakistan sport is introduced.
With lower than two months left for the World Cup to start, the Indian board is now hoping to promote on-line tickets for the marquee occasion quickly.
