ICC World Cup 2023 Schedule Released, India to Host Solely

The highly anticipated schedule for the 2023 ICC World Cup has been unveiled, bringing joy to cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Set to kick off on October 5th, 2023, with a clash between England and New Zealand – the previous edition’s finalists – the tournament will culminate in a thrilling final on November 19th, 2023, in Ahmedabad.

India has been chosen as the exclusive host nation for this World Cup, in contrast to the 2011 edition, which was co-hosted by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Ten prestigious venues across India have been selected, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

The Indian cricket team, led by the anticipated captain Rohit Sharma, will commence their campaign on October 8th against Australia, facing off against all the participating teams. The highlight of the schedule undoubtedly lies in the much-anticipated India vs. Pakistan clash, set to take place on October 15th, 2023, at the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium.

While the official squad for the World Cup is yet to be announced by the BCCI, speculations suggest that Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Hardik Pandya as the vice-captain.

Ten teams will be competing in the tournament: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, along with two teams that will qualify through the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, concluding on July 9th. These teams have secured their spots through the Cricket World Cup Super League.

The World Cup will comprise three stages: Round Robin, Semi-Finals, and Finals. During the Round Robin phase, each team will play against the other nine teams. The top four teams from this round will progress to the Semi-Finals, with the winners advancing to the ultimate showdown in the Finals.

While the tickets for the World Cup are yet to be released, they are expected to be available soon, as the tournament is just around the corner, with only 100 days remaining. England emerged victorious in the last World Cup after a thrilling battle against New Zealand. The previous edition was hosted by England in 2019.