ICC, BCCI reject Pakistan’s request to change Indian venue

The PCB, according to Pakistani media reports, sought a venue swap after reviewing the draft schedule shared by the ICC. Nevertheless, the ICC and BCCI have jointly decided that there are no valid reasons to alter the current venue assignments.

As hosts, the BCCI has the authority to finalise the venues while any changes require the approval of the ICC. Such modifications are typically considered only in cases of security concerns or if a particular venue is deemed unsuitable for international cricket.

Chennai and Bengaluru were deemed safe options for Pakistan, offering excellent facilities. The concerns raised by former PCB chief Najam Sethi about playing against India in Ahmedabad were also not entertained, the publication reported. LiveMint could not independently verify the claim.

While venue changes have been witnessed in the past due to security reasons, the recent meeting between the ICC and BCCI primarily focused on operational matters. The full schedule for World Cup 2023 is yet to be released, but it has been disclosed that the tournament will commence with a clash between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad on October 5.

The highly-anticipated match between India and Pakistan is scheduled to take place at the same venue on October 15, with the final match set for November 19. The official schedule is expected to be announced during an upcoming event in Mumbai.

Updated: 22 Jun 2023, 07:56 AM IST