The ODI World Cup in 2023 is expected to begin on October 5 and end on November 19. ESPNcricinfo has also learned that the BCCI, the event’s host, has shortlisted at least a dozen venues, with the final set to take place at the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
Apart from Ahmedabad, the list also includes Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. Over the course of 46 days, the tournament will feature 48 matches, including three knockouts.
Aside from the title match, the BCCI has yet to announce any game venues or the two or three cities where teams will play warm-ups. The delay in finalising the venues is due to the complications caused by the monsoon season receding at various points across India.
The ICC usually announces World Cup schedules at least a year in advance, but this time it has also been waiting for the BCCI to obtain necessary clearances from the Indian government. This includes two critical issues: obtaining a tax exemption for the tournament and obtaining visa clearance for the Pakistan team, which has not played in India since early 2013, except at ICC events.
The BCCI is said to have assured the ICC’s quarterly meetings last weekend in Dubai that visas for the Pakistan contingent would be cleared by the Indian government.
