The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the eagerly anticipated schedule for the upcoming Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, set to take place in India. The prestigious tournament is scheduled to commence on October 5 in Ahmedabad, featuring matches across ten different venues.
The tournament will span a period of 46 days and will consist of 45 league matches and three knockout matches. Teams will compete in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune. To allow for any unforeseen circumstances, the two semi-finals and the final will all have designated reserve days. The semi-finals are scheduled to be held in Mumbai and Kolkata on November 15 and 16, respectively, while the final will take place in Ahmedabad on November 19.
In an exciting opening clash, defending champions England will face off against New Zealand in a rematch of the thrilling 2019 final. Additionally, one of the most highly anticipated matches of the World Cup, the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan, is set to unfold in Ahmedabad on October 15.
The format of the tournament will mirror that of the 2019 edition, with ten teams competing against each other once in the league phase. The top four teams from the league stage will progress to the semi-finals.
India secured their spot as the host nation, while Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa earned their places by finishing in the top eight of the 2020-2023 World Cup Super League. The final two spots will be determined through the ongoing World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
The tournament’s schedule was unveiled by the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at a momentous event held in Mumbai on Tuesday. It is worth noting that the release of this schedule comes 100 days prior to the tournament’s commencement, in contrast to previous editions where the fixture announcements were made over a year in advance for the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales and the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to the official commencement of the tournament, participating teams will engage in warm-up matches in Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati, taking place from September 29 to October 3.
