The BCCI’s decision came to light following a letter (TOI has a copy) by the BCCI secretary Jay Shah to the state associations on June 28, in which Shah has informed that he made a request in this regard to these associations in a meeting here on June 26, a day before the 2023 World Cup schedule was announced.
Shah then mentioned that his request was agreed upon “unanimously” by all the concerned state units.
After the International Cricket Council announced the venues of the tournament on June 27, quite a few state units, who were excluded from the list of 12 venues (10 venues to stage main tournament games, 2 venues to stage warm-up matches) staging the 2023 ODI World Cup – which will be held from October 5-November 19 -expressed their “disappointment” at missing out on staging matches of the marquee ICC event.
Mohali, which staged the 1996 and 2011 World Cup semifinals, Nagpur, Rajkot, Indore, Ranchi Vizag, Raipur and Cuttack were all excluded from the list of venues staging 2023 World Cup matches, but can now hope to get more bilateral matches in the upcoming India season.
Post the Asia Cup, Australia are supposed to visit India for a three-match ODI series in September, followed by maybe even Afghanistan. After the World Cup, India will play a five-match T20I series against Australia at home. In January-February 2025, England are slated to play a five-Test series in India. Later in the year, Bangladesh (2) and New Zealand (3) will play five Tests in India.
The 10 World Cup venues are Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Dharamsala, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata. The tournament’s warm-up matches will be played from September 29 to October 3 at Guwahati (4) and Thiruvananthapuram (4) and Hyderabad (2).
In his letter to the state associations, the BCCI secretary, after outlining that “the prestigious tournament will be hosted across 12 venues situated in six zones,” has written: “During our meeting, I had proposed a solution to ensure a fair distribution of matches for the ICC World Cup 2023. I requested the hosting associations, with the exception of Assam Cricket Association and Kerala Cricket Association, who were allocated warm-up matches, to voluntarily forego their turn to host an ODI during the bilateral international season. This proposal was put forth in order to accommodate the state associations that unfortunately missed out on hosting matches for the 2023 World Cup edition.”
Shah then mentioned that his request was accepted by all the World Cup staging units. “I’m pleased to inform you that the proposal received unanimous agreement and support from all the participating associations. This decision showcases the spirit of cooperation and unity amongst the cricketing fraternity, prioritizing the overall success of the 2023 World Cup and ensuring equal opportunities for all the state associations to be a part of this prestigious event. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all the hosting associations for their selflessness and understanding in embracing this resolution,” the BCCI secretary wrote in his letter.
