On July 27, BCCI secretary Jay Shah met with host state organisations and stated that while the dates may change, the venues won’t.
There are only around two months until the ODI Cricket World Cup in India, and many things, including the schedule and tickets—the two elements of the competition that are most crucial—remain undetermined. The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) knows the best why it took some time to announce the schedule.
After much delay, it finally revealed the itinerary on June 27. The BCCI then said there was uncertainty over three to four matches as preparations got under way. The most anticipated match of the competition—India vs. Pakistan in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium—was scheduled because it fell on the first day of Navaratri.
Bafflingly, the BCCI didn’t learn that Navaratri would start on October 15 until after the schedule was released. Hosting the game may not be simple because it is a significant festival in Gujarat for security concerns.
On July 27, BCCI secretary Jay Shah met with host state organisations and stated that while the dates may change, the venues won’t. Additionally, he claimed that three nations had issues with particular dates and that this needed to be addressed. This can’t possibly be more annoying from the supporters’ perspective. According to numerous reports, fans had reportedly begun reserving hospital beds in Ahmedabad since hotel rates had skyrocketed.
Additionally, there are currently no open ticket sales for any of the games, and the selling dates still need to be determined. Given the lengthy lines to buy physical tickets, viewing games in India is already not a pleasant experience. The delay would further damage BCCI’s reputation.
The arrival of a Pakistani security team could cause more delay in setting the timeline. The government’s security team will inspect the sites, according to their cricket board, and the team won’t leave until they receive the all-clear from the security team. They have not yet sent the team, so if they have objections to particular locations or times, the schedule may be changed once more.
Whatever the cause, the BCCI is being closely scrutinised for the delay in confirming the schedule (of some matches). It speaks negatively of the managerial skill. Even the International Cricket Council (ICC), whose supervision the World Cup is under, must take responsibility for failing to address problems as soon as they arise. The game will ultimately suffer.
