Pakistan vs New Zealand warm-up game in Hyderabad to be played without fans | ODI World Cup 2023

In a surprising turn of events, the World Cup warm-up match between Pakistan and New Zealand, scheduled for September 29, will be held behind closed doors at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad due to security concerns related to a revised schedule coinciding with festivals.

According to the report in the Indian Express, the BCCI will instruct ticketing partner Bookmyshow, to refund those who had purchased tickets for the game.

"The game will be played without spectators, and those who have booked their tickets, their money will be refunded," confirmed a BCCI official.

The Hyderabad police requested the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to postpone the game due to security constraints tied to the festivals of Ganesh Visarjan and Milan-Un-Nabi culminating on September 28. However, with the schedule already adjusted, allowing a postponement was not feasible. Consequently, the decision was made to bar spectators from attending.

Security agencies had previously raised concerns about two consecutive World Cup 2023 league games scheduled at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on October 9 and 10. Approximately 3,000 police personnel will be deployed for one game, with a significant number stationed at the hotel accommodating the Pakistan team.

The original itinerary for the 2023 World Cup has seen significant alterations, with nine games being rescheduled. The India-Pakistan match, initially set at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15, was moved a day earlier due to Navratri, a festival celebrated fervently in Gujarat.

Also read: Virat Kohli reportedly unfollows Indo-Canadian singer Shubh after his pro-Khalistan post goes viral