The 2023 ODI World Cup schedule might change once again, a month after BCCI and ICC announced the World Cup schedule. This comes barely a week after BCCI announced that the schedule will be tweaked over complaints from ICC's full member countries about the tournament fixtures.
The World Cup is set to begin from October 5 onwards at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
According to a PTI report, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) urged the ICC recce team to change the schedule for the World Cup match between England and Pakistan and England on November 12, when West Bengal will be celebrating Kali Puja, the second biggest festival in the state after Durga Puja.
Since police will be deployed across the state in large numbers in view of the festival, it will be difficult for the state police to spare extra personnel for Eden Gardens duty, according to the Hindustan Times.
Senior members of CAB told PTI that state police have raised a security concern. "Kolkata Police has cited concerns to provide security for the match slated on Diwali. We have informed the ICC and BCCI to reschedule it and if it does not happen we would inform this to the the chief minister," a senior CAB office-bearer said.
However, CAB president Snehasish Ganguly dismissed reports about the state cricket board sending any request to ICC for a change in schedule.
"We have not yet got anything officially from the Kolkata Police," Snehasish, elder brother of former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, said. "Unless we get something officially, we can't inform the ICC. Security issue is being taken care of by the Kolkata Police. That is not our look-out. As I said, we have not got anything officially, if we get anything we will inform ICC."
An ESPNCricinfo report said CAB requested BCCI to change the schedule of the England-Pakistan match to November 11 instead of 12. The World Cup schedule was announced on June 27, just 100 days before the tournament begins. The previous World Cup editions in 2015 and 2019 were announced over a year early.
Earlier, Ahmedabad police also requested change of schedule in the India vs Pakistan game on October 15, which happens to be the first day of Navaratri. The game has reportedly been rescheduled to October 14 but there is no official announcement yet.