The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could change the date of the marquee India-Pakistan contest scheduled on October 15, although officials maintain the much-awaited World Cup clash will stay in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. That, however, is not the only change in the offing.
“We have received requests from 2-3 ICC member boards participating in the World Cup to make some changes to the schedule,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told reporters after a meeting with the ten staging associations in Delhi on Thursday. “What’s important for us is we don’t have to make any change in venues.”
What may have prompted the change in date for the India-Pakistan match is it coinciding with the Navaratri festival, widely celebrated in the state. That may become a security headache for police forces. Shah categorically dismissed if the match was being moved for security reasons.
Although no alternate dates have been confirmed yet, it has been learned that efforts are on to stage the match on October 14 so that it does not majorly disrupt the plans of ICC’s commercial partners, vendors, and cricket fans who may have pre-booked hotels and flights to Ahmedabad.
