ICC World Cup 2023: HCA raises concern over Pakistan-New Zealand warm-up clash, asks BCCI to reschedule it

The ICC Cricket World Cup is less than a month away from kickoff. However, last-minute requests for changes in schedule continue to land at BCCI’s doorstep. On Sunday, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) voiced its concerns over the warm-up match involving Pakistan and New Zealand on Friday, 29 September, and has asked for the same to be “reconsidered”, according to a report on the Indian Express. The association has cited inadequate security cover for the warm-up fixture due to the festivals of Ganesh Visarjan and Milad-Un-Nabi, which conclude on 28 September and will also require heavy security. The HCA has also sent a fresh request to the BCCI to reconsider hosting back-to-back games at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on 9 and 10 October. New Zealand face Netherlands on the 9th while Pakistan take on Sri Lanka the following day. Security agencies have reportedly expressed their inability to provide enough personnel for two days, especially since the arrival of the Pakistan team in the Telangana capital will require an even more stringent security cover — both at the stadium as well as at the team hotel. According to the report, up to 3,000 personnel will be required for just one game. Also Read | Jay Shah explains reason behind delay in schedule, ticket sales The HCA had voiced its concern over the consecutive matches earlier on 20 August in a letter written to the BCCI. The BCCI however shot down the request the following day, saying no further changes were possible. The schedule for the 13th edition of the World Cup, which normally gets announced a year in advance, was announced on 27 June and would subsequently undergo a series of changes in August, with several fixtures rescheduled. Also Read | Full list of Matches, Dates, Venues in revised World Cup schedule Among the matches that have been rescheduled is the marquee India vs Pakistan match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium that was originally scheduled to take place on 15 October, but had to be moved to the previous day as the original date coincided with the start of the Navratri festival. The tournament begins on 5 October with defending champions England and New Zealand locking horns in Ahmedabad in a rematch of the 2019 final. Hosts India then open their account against Australia on 8 October in Chennai.