CAB requests BCCI to reschedule the England-Pakistan game: Details here
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested the BCCI to reschedule the 2023 ICC World Cup match between Pakistan and England, which is scheduled to be played at Eden Gardens on November 12. CAB has suggested November 11 as an alternative date. The development happened after the police informed CAB that the match coincided with the Hindu festival of Kali Puja. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Kali Puja is one of the most popular Hindu festivals in Bengal and therefore the city police will be busy managing the traffic and maintaining law and order during the festival. Therefore, it is not possible for them to also provide enhanced security to the England-Pakistan game scheduled on the same day. With Pakistan being one of the teams, enhanced security will be needed.
CAB had a meeting with the city police authorities
As per ESPNCricinfo, CAB had a meeting with the city police authorities to find a solution. There the police authorities have raised a law and order concern to keep the match on the day of the festival. Hence, CAB has written to BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, requesting a schedule change. Some members of the association have also reached out to CM Mamata Banerjee.
India-Pakistan game rescheduled to October 14
CAB's concerns come right after Ahmedabad police expressed their concerns about providing security for the India-Pakistan game on October 15 due to the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri. Navratri is very popular in Gujarat and North India. However, the game, still in Ahmedabad, has been rescheduled as per ESPNCricinfo to October 14 and the Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to that change.
More changes in the World Cup schedule
The rescheduling of the India-Pakistan game will lead to more changes as October 14 had a double-header with the Bangladesh-NZ match in Chennai and the Afghanistan-England game in Delhi. Pakistan's preceding fixture against SL will now be played on October 10 instead of October 12.
Eden's last ODI World Cup game was back in 2011
The 2011 ODI World Cup saw three matches being played at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens. None of them involved India. Eden was about to host the India-England game in the 2011 ODI World Cup but the stadium was deemed unfit to host the fixture by ICC's inspection team. They believed that the reconstruction work would not finish by the given deadline.
Eden Gardens to host five 2023 ODI World Cup games
The original ODI World Cup schedule had five matches to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The 2023 ODI World Cup matches are to be played here: Bangladesh vs Netherlands on October 28, Bangladesh vs Pakistan on October 31, India vs South Africa on November 5, England vs Pakistan on November 12, and the second semi-final on November 16.
The ODI World Cup to start on October 5
The showpiece event will start on October 5 with reigning champions England taking on New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The World Cup will run till November 19, with matches scheduled in ten host cities- Dharamsala, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad. The final will be played in Ahmedabad, while Kolkata and Mumbai will host the semi-finals.
