ODI World Cup Schedule: Hyderabad Police Says Can't Provide Security for Back-to-back Matches, HCA Asks BCCI to Make Changes

The 2023 ODI World Cup schedule could witness yet another change with Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) now writing to the BCCI that it won’t be able to host matches on consecutive days during the marquee event.

At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, New Zealand will face Netherlands on October 9 and the next day Pakistan takes on Sri Lanka.

However, the Hyderabad Police has informed HCA it cannot provide security on consecutive days with Pakistan fixture their main concern.

According to a report in The Indian Express, as many as 3000 police personnel will be deployed for security for each match and a significant portion of his number will be stationed around the Pakistan team hotel.

HCA has been told that if New Zealand vs Netherlands is played on October 9, then they won’t be able to provide security for the Pakistan fixture the next day i.e. October 10.

World Cup Schedule Muddle

The reason why HCA was left to host back-to-back matches was because of an earlier tweak made by the BCCI after it was told that Ahmedabad and Kolkata will not be able to host matches on specific dates as per the original schedule because of the festivities in the two cities.

India were to play Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15 but it’s also the first day of Navratri.

Kolkata was to host Pakistan vs England on November 12 at Eden Gardens and it clashes with Kali Puja which happens to be a big festival in Bengal.

World Cup Schedule Changed

The BCCI and ICC were already under scrutiny for announcing the fixtures 100 days before the marque event. And to make it worse, they were then forced to tweak the schedule after security concerns raised by two state units.

Both the games in question were advanced by a day.

However, with India vs Pakistan fixture moving to October 14, it meant as many as three matches were to be played on that day. and hence more changes were necessitated also keeping in mind the gap needed between games for team to recover and practice.

As a result, nine matches were rescheduled.

Will BCCI Accept the Request?

The report further claims that HCA wasn’t consulted by BCCI before they agreed upon the changes, leaving them surprised. And when Hyderabad police expressed their concerns, they were forced to ask for a change.

The tickets for the World Cup are slated to go on sale from August 25 and the tournament is set to get underway from October 5.