India vs. Pakistan World Cup Game May Have a Date Change from Earlier 15 October, Given the Start of Navratri

Fans are at a loss for words as the rumor about the date change from 15 October, the first day of Navratri for India vs. Pakistan game for the World Cup, picks pace.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: 2023-07-26 10:07:37

There is a delay expected for the most awaited game of the season this World Cup, between India and Pakistan on 15 October 2023 in Ahmedabad. However, fans have already made travel arrangements and made bookings in hotels. The decision of seeking another date for the game can cause a hustle among the fans. But the security organizations have asked the BCCI to look into the matter and have a change of schedule. In such a popular game, it can take just a few hours for all the tickets to sell leading to record-breaking TRP for the broadcasters.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has scheduled the India Vs. Pakistan World Cup match on the day of Navratri, which is a huge festival in India. And the first day is also a holiday. The event comprises people getting together for celebration and playing garba in the evening, especially in Gujarat. Thus, the board of members and hosting associations will reconsider the date for the India Vs. Pakistan game and soon take a decision. This was also consented to by a top BCCI official, who wanted to stay anonymous.

The official also revealed that security authorities have already been informed to take measures and protect the city, as well as the high-profile game. Thousands of fans are expected to throng the city during and before the game in Ahmedabad. And to restrict such mad rush in the event of the match as well as the Navratri festival, reconsidering the World Cup schedule for the specific game is the need of the hour. The Narendra Modi Stadium has a capacity of one lakh seats approximately.

And in the late last month, ICC released the calendar for the World Cup, granting the stadium the venue rights for four major games. The opening match is what awaits the most traction with competitions such as England Vs. New Zealand, Australia Vs. England, and India Vs. Pakistan. The tournament will be held across ten cities. The semi-final will occur in Mumbai and Kolkata.

Due to the dates and schedule already released about the World Cup, people have gone ahead and made their bookings for the said months in Ahmedabad. The city reports that they are already having no places left for mid-October, as they are overbooked. Also, there is an expectation of a rise in airfare. In case, the dates are changed for the Pakistan and India match, then there will be several consequences, leading to cancellations in bookings, and end-of-the-moment bookings.

This can turn into a logistical problem. Jay Shah, the secretary of BCCI sent a letter on Tuesday evening to organizations responsible for hosting the World Cup games. He requested them to assemble in New Delhi on 27 July. The members of the match may be informed by the board about the revised date along with what steps they need to take to deal with security issues at the time of the match in Ahmedabad.

Jay Shah said that he thinks it is best for all to get involved to share notes in this together and discuss the points that seem like an issue and need to be solved. Thus, he invited the members to attend a meeting of the associations hosting the World Cup, as per the letter that the state associations received.