ICC Releases Full Schedule for 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup in India
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially unveiled the complete schedule for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, which is set to take place in India. The announcement was made on June 27 in the presence of ICC CEO Geoff Allardyce and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.
The highly-anticipated tournament will kick off with a thrilling rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, as current champions England go head-to-head with New Zealand in Hyderabad. India, on the other hand, will begin their campaign against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on October 8.
One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament will be the clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, which is scheduled to take place during the league stage on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The two semi-finals will be held at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, while the final will also be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The tournament will feature a total of 10 teams, who will compete in a round-robin format, with each team playing against the other nine. The top four teams at the end of the round-robin stage will qualify for the semi-finals.
All matches will either start at 10:30 am in the morning or 2:00 pm in the afternoon. India will play all their matches under lights, meaning their games will begin at 2:00 pm.
The venues for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 include Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, MCA Stadium in Pune, M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
With regards to the favorites for the tournament, the Indian team is expected to have the edge as the host nation, with a strong squad and the support of the home crowd. Led captain Rohit Sharma, India will aim to bring the World Cup trophy home for the third time.
Defending champions England will also be strong contenders, having won the ODI World Cup in 2019. The return of key players like Ben Stokes strengthens their bid for another title.
New Zealand, who were runners-up in the previous World Cup, are considered the dark horses of the tournament. They hold the record for the most semi-final appearances and will be eager to finally lift the trophy.
Australia, who recently won the World Test Championship and retained The Ashes, are in excellent form and will be a formidable force in the ODI World Cup.
Other teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and the Netherlands will also be looking to make their mark in the tournament.
One of the most highly-anticipated matches of the tournament will be the clash between India and Pakistan on October 14. This rivalry match is expected to be a highlight of the event and could heavily influence the fate of both teams.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting and closely-fought tournament, with teams from around the world vying for the prestigious title. Cricket fans can look forward to a thrilling competition filled with intense matches and memorable moments.