The schedule of 2023 World Cup in India later this year is set to undergo some changes as “two-three ICC Full Member nations” have raised objections. BCCI secretary Jay Shah said there is an issue regarding gap between matches of some teams and “only date and time will be changed”.
“Two-three ICC Full Member nations have raised objections regarding the schedule. The teams which have six-day gaps will be reduced and the teams which have two-day gap will be increased,” says Shah after meeting staging state associations of World Cup.
Shah added that logistics team of both BCCI and ICC is addressing the concerns and assured there will be no change of venue.
“The logistics team of both BCCI and ICC is working on it. No venue will be changed, only date and time will be changed,” says Shah.
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The BCCI secretary downplayed any security or work force issue in Ahmedabad for the high-profile India-Pakistan fixture and said the revised schedule will be out soon.
“There is no issue related to security or work force in Ahmedabad. Had that been the case, match wouldn’t have been allotted there in the first place,” says Shah.
No e-tickets for World Cup
The announcement on World Cup tickets will be jointly done by BCCI and ICC soon and the Indian cricket board has given time to all staging state associations till Monday to sort out their manifests.
“We had a word with the state associations today on the tickets. 90% of the associations came with the manifests and 1-2 didn’t have it ready. We have given them time till Monday to sort it out. The ICC and BCCI will then jointly announce ticket pricing and everything. Ticketing partner is also almost sorted,” informs Shah.
The spectators would need to retain physical tickets as e-ticketing facility will not be available during the marquee event. BCCI intends to introduce e-tickets in bilaterals before a big-ticket event like the World Cup.
“We can’t use e-tickets this time around but will ensure to have physical tickets redemption at 7-8 centres well in advance. But physical ticket needs to be retained. It will get difficult to manage e-ticket at high-capacity venue like Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Our plan is to start using e-tickets more in bilaterals first and then take it to multi-nation events like the World Cup,” says Shah.
Hygiene, free water, clean toilets
BCCI has initiated an upgradation drive across stadiums in the country and World Cup venues will be prioritised in the two-phase project. A lot of importance will be given to hygiene and clean toilets to ensure a good experience for spectators.
“Grant Thornton had a meeting with all state associations today. Things which are most important to us in the upgrades are house-keeping, toilets, hygiene. The complete look and feel. This is a project of one and a half months and then post World Cup project will also happen. After sorting World Cup, we will do this in all stadiums of the country,” says Shah.
To address the issue of over-priced drinking water in the stands, BCCI is working towards free drinking water for the spectators.
“We will tie-up with company like Coca-Cola, which is official partner of ICC too. Coca-Cola’s water brand Kinley will be served in the stands. That’s what we are trying. Whether it will be packaged water bottle or by glass, we will get to know soon because there are some constraints with regards to bottle. Whatever it will be, it will be completely free,” says Shah.
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