ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule Revealed: England-New Zealand to kickstart tournament on Oct 5 in India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the eagerly anticipated schedule for the ODI World Cup 2023, featuring a high-stakes match between cricket rivals India and Pakistan at the world's largest cricket stadium on October 15. The grand finale of the tournament will also take place at the gargantuan venue in Ahmedabad on November 19.

Kicking off on October 5, defending champions England will face runners-up New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which boasts a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators, surpassing even the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by 32,000 seats.

The two semifinals of this mega event will be held at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata's Eden Gardens, both renowned venues with a rich cricketing legacy, on November 15 and 16, respectively.

Hosts India will commence their campaign with an exciting clash against Australia on October 8 in Chennai. Notably, the World Cup will venture into northeast India for the first time, with Guwahati selected as one of the 12 venues to host matches, including warm-up games.

A total of 10 venues across Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Dharamsala, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata will witness thrilling encounters during the tournament.

In addition to Hyderabad, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will host warm-up games from September 29 to October 3, adding to the excitement leading up to the main event.

The ICC finalized the venues after discussions with 12 hosting associations in Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium previously held the 2011 World Cup final, where India clinched victory after 28 years, while Eden Gardens hosted the 1987 edition's summit clash between Australia and England.

Pakistan had expressed a desire to relocate their match against India to either Chennai, Bengaluru, or Kolkata. However, both the BCCI and ICC rejected the request, resulting in the match being held as planned.

This year's World Cup will feature 10 teams, with India, as the host nation, directly qualifying along with Afghanistan, Australia, England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa through the 2020-2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League. The remaining two teams will emerge from the World Cup Qualifiers currently taking place in Zimbabwe.

During the World Cup in India, the 10 teams will participate in a round-robin league, playing each other once in 45 matches. The top teams will advance to the semifinals, culminating in an exhilarating final showdown.

Also read: