Being left out of the 2023 ODI World Cup has disappointed the officials at the venues in cities like Mohali, Indore, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Nagpur. Although not metros, these cities have a rich history of hosting important matches including the 2011 India vs Pakistan semi-final in Mohali.
Sports minister of Punjab, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, has even claimed that the venue selection was politically motivated.
“It is good that World Cup is coming to India but it is sad that a stadium which has produced many superstars of Indian cricket, a stadium that used to be among the top five venues in the country, has not got a single game. On the other hand, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is hosting the opening game as well as the final and also the big game between India and Pakistan. To the neighbouring Dharamsala as well you are giving them five games but Punjab has not got even one. That makes it clear that politics is being played,” he said to news agency PTI.
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The Punjab Cricket Association, which controls the Mohali stadium, had reportedly tried very hard to secure a game or two in the upcoming World Cup, but couldn’t even succeed in landing any practice game.
“It seems only metros and cities where the office bearers are from have got games. We pushed for it really hard but could not get a game. Disappointing not to get even a practice game,” said a source in the Punjab Cricket Association.
Another venue with a rich cricket history that goes back to the 1987 World Cup, which failed to score any fixture is Indore.
“Indore hosted a World Cup game between Australia and New Zealand back in 1987. We feel bad that Indore has been left out. I don’t know the compulsions of the BCCI. Indore has a rich cricketing history and therefore we expected it to be a venue of the World Cup,” Abhilash Khandekar, president of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association told PTI.
On Tuesday, ICC announced the official schedule for the 2023 ODI World Cup. The biggest cricketing event will be played in India this time from 5 October to 19 November.
Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will open the tournament and host the final as well, while the semi-finals will be played in Mumbai and Kolkata on 15-16 November, Besides these Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Pune will also host the league matches.
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