The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Thursday confirmed that the blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan at the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 will be played on a different date than scheduled due to the Navratri festival in the country.
Hosting the match on the first day of Navratri will prove to be a security nightmare for the officials and Ahmedabad police which is why this decision has been taken.
The blockbuster match has been scheduled for October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium but Shah has said that the fixture will be changed to a different date but the venue will remain the same.
Tentative date for marquee clash
The match is likely to take place on October 14, a day before the original date.
Three member boards of the International Cricket Council (ICC) approached the BCCI for changes in dates however, Shah did not name the cricket boards or the matches for which they are requesting a change in dates.
"We have received requests from 2-3 member boards to change match dates. It's not specific to India Pakistan match," Jay Shah said.
Fans face logistical nightmare
With the hotel fares going through the roof, it was reported earlier this month that the passionate fans who will be flying in from all around the world have resorted to booking hospital beds in the city.
India play their opening World Cup game against Australia in Chennai on October 8 while Pakistan's first two games have been scheduled in Hyderabad on October 6 and October 12.
Advancing the Indo-Pak game by a day might also impact the Babar Azam-led side, which will get a day less to prepare for the high profile clash. (With PTI inputs)
