BCCI VP Rejects Request for Further Changes to ICC World Cup 2023 Schedule”
Rajeev Shukla, Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has unequivocally declined requests for additional modifications to the schedule of the ICC World Cup 2023, set to take place in India in October.
In an official statement released on Sunday, Shukla emphasized that no further alterations will be made to the World Cup fixture due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders.
Shukla’s response follows a request by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) seeking changes in the tournament’s fixtures.
The HCA’s request comes shortly after the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a revised schedule for the World Cup, with nine changes compared to the original fixture unveiled in June. Notably, one of these alterations involved moving the Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka match in Hyderabad from October 10 to 12.
This change resulted in the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium hosting back-to-back matches, including New Zealand versus the Netherlands on October 9.
Now, the HCA has raised concerns over security and requested a one-day gap between these consecutive games. An anonymous HCA official, speaking to Hindustan Times, expressed the desire for a rescheduling, stating, “We will have to work with security agencies. Anyone would want a day in between two World Cup games. We are still engaging with security agencies to see if it is possible or not.”
However, Shukla firmly rejected the request, noting, “It is not easy to change the World Cup schedule, and it’s unlikely to happen. Only BCCI can’t change the schedule; teams, ICC, all are involved.”
In total, Hyderabad is slated to host three of the 45 league games in the World Cup, with the opening fixture featuring Pakistan and the Netherlands.
