The 2023 ODI World Cup is set to be held in India from October 5 to November 19, with a total of 48 matches scheduled across a 46-day period. The tournament will feature some of the world’s best cricketing nations competing for the coveted trophy. The final will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, while 11 other venues have been selected to host matches.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has faced delays in finalizing the venues for individual games due to a number of factors. One of the main issues has been securing necessary government clearances and tax exemptions for the tournament. According to a BCCI document, paying a 21.84% tax would negatively impact the board’s revenue from the International Cricket Council (ICC) by $116.47 million. As the host nation, India is required to secure tax exemptions from the government for hosting ICC tournaments.
Another hurdle that has caused a delay in the release of the schedule is the diplomatic issue of Pakistan’s cricket team participating in the tournament. India and Pakistan have a tense political relationship, and the BCCI is still in discussions with the government regarding the participation of the Pakistani team.
The 2023 ODI World Cup will be India’s first time hosting the tournament since co-hosting the event with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2011. The final of the 2011 World Cup was held at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, where MS Dhoni famously led the Indian team to victory after hitting an iconic six off Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara.
England will enter the 2023 tournament as the defending champions, having won the 2019 ODI World Cup in a thrilling final against New Zealand. The match ended in a tie after 50 overs, with both teams scoring 241 runs. The game then went into a super over, which also ended in a tie. England were ultimately declared winners based on their higher boundary count.
The 2023 ODI World Cup promises to be an exciting tournament, with some of the world’s best cricketing nations competing for the top prize. Despite the delays in finalizing the venues and scheduling of matches, cricket fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the start of the tournament.