India-Pakistan clash among nine World Cup fixture changes

Agencies | New Delhi

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

India’s clash with archrivals Pakistan in this year’s ODI World Cup has been brought forward a day to October 14 among eight other fixture changes, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Wednesday.

The world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad will host the hotly anticipated match, originally set for October 15 at the same venue.

Fixtures for the 50-over World Cup were originally published in June after weeks of delays arising from Pakistan’s reluctance to travel to India.

Wednesday’s overhaul of the schedule, less than two months before the tournament begins, came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India said foreign teams had requested changes.

Indian media reports said Ahmedabad officials had raised concerns about their ability to provide adequate security because the match was originally scheduled at the start of a nine-day Hindu religious festival.

Among the other changes, Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka has been brought forward by two days and will now be played on October 10. Australia’s match against South Africa in Lucknow will be played on October 12 instead of the following day.

England will take on Afghanistan in Delhi on October 15, a day after the original date. New Zealand’s game against Bangladesh, originally scheduled as a day match for October 14 in Chennai, will now be held on October 13 as a day-night contest.

England’s match-up against Bangladesh in Dharamsala has now become a day match after it was originally scheduled to be played under lights. Tickets for the World Cup will go on sale on August 25, the ICC said.