The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has informed the BCCI that it would not be able to host matches on successive days during the premier tournament, which might result in yet another modification to the 2023 ODI World Cup calendar.
On October 9, New Zealand will play the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, while on October 10, Pakistan will play Sri Lanka.
Hyderabad Police has however notified HCA that due to Pakistan fixture being their first priority, they are unable to provide protection on consecutive days.
Up to 3000 police officers will be deployed for security during each match, and a sizable chunk of them would be posted near the hotel where the Pakistani team is staying, according to a story in The Indian Express.
HCA has been informed that they would not be able to provide security for the Pakistan match on October 10 if New Zealand vs. Netherlands is played on October 9.
Confusing World Cup Schedule
Due to a previous adjustment made by the BCCI after learning that Ahmedabad and Kolkata would not be able to host matches on particular days as per the original schedule due to the celebrations in the two cities, HCA was left to host back-to-back matches.
On October 15, India was scheduled to face Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, but that day also marked the start of Navratri.
On November 12, Kolkata was scheduled to host Pakistan vs. England at Eden Gardens, a match that clashed with Kali Puja, a significant Bengali holiday.
World Cup Schedule Modification
Because the fixtures were released 100 days before to the major event, the BCCI and ICC were already under fire. And to make matters worse, two state units voiced security concerns, forcing them to modify the plan.
Both of the aforementioned games had been moved forward by a day.
However, since the India vs. Pakistan match was moved to October 14, up to three matches were scheduled on that day. further adjustments were thus required, taking in mind the time needed between games for teams to rest and train.
Nine games were postponed as a consequence.
Will the request be granted by BCCI?
The report further asserts that BCCI startled HCA by not consulting them before approving the amendments.The Hyderabad police were compelled to request a change when they voiced their concerns.
The World Cup is scheduled to begin on October 5 and tickets for the event will go on sale starting on August 25.