ICC-BCCI reject PCB’s request to change venues for high-profile clashes
In a unanimous decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have turned down the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) proposal to swap venues for certain matches in the upcoming 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Set to kick off in October, the 50-over tournament will be hosted by India. After a meeting held on June 20, the ICC and BCCI officially communicated their decision to the PCB.
As per the tournament’s schedule, Pakistan was scheduled to play against Afghanistan in Chennai, known for its spin-friendly pitch, and Australia in Bengaluru. However, following a venue review by Pakistani analysts, the PCB expressed a desire to switch the venues. They requested the ICC, the global governing body of cricket, to move their matches against Australia and Afghanistan to Chennai and Bengaluru, respectively.
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Key Matches:
The highly anticipated clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Former PCB chief, Najam Sethi, had expressed concerns about this arrangement, but the request was denied.
Reasoning Behind the Decision:
According to a report by Cricbuzz, both the ICC and BCCI stated that there were no valid reasons to change the venues. It is important to note that the responsibility of venue selection lies with the hosts, who require the ICC’s permission to make any changes. Venue swaps are only considered in the case of security issues.
Past Venue Changes:
While the recent decision maintains the original schedule, it is worth noting that venue changes have occurred in the past. The ICC T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan in 2016 had to be relocated from Dharamsala to Kolkata due to security concerns.
Upcoming Schedule:
The official schedule for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup is yet to be revealed by the BCCI and ICC. However, a previous report by Cricbuzz indicated that the tournament opener between England and New Zealand would take place on October 5 in Ahmedabad.
