BCCI handed major headache as HCA request WC fixture change involving PAK game days after ICC announced revised schedule

It has been just over a week since ICC announced major changes to the Men’s ODI World Cup schedule, making as many as nine changes, including that of the blockbuster tie between hosts India and Pakistan.

However, with a month and a half to go for the kickoff to the tournament in Ahmedabad and less than a week before spectators across the globe get busy booking their tickets for the event, BCCI and ICC have been handed a major headache with another request for a change in World Cup scheduled placed on Saturday.

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium are slated to hist just three of the 45 league stage matches in the ODI World Cup, with two matches involving qualifier Netherlands and Pakistan each. In fact, among the nine changes made to the original World Cup schedule that was announced in June, Hyderabad witnessed one of those changes with the Pakistan-Sri Lanka clash, the final tie at the venue, preponed from October 12 to 10 in a bid to give sufficient gap to the Babar Azam-led side for the match against India which will be on October 14.

According to a report in Indian Express, the Hyderabad Police raised a concern over security with the revised World Cup schedule leaving Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium to host back-to-back matches. The venue will have New Zealand-Netherlands tie on October 9 followed by the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the very next day. Hence, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has sent an official request to the BCCI to increase the gap between the two matches.

The report further added that none of the BCCI heads had consulted the HCA regarding the change in date and the issue was rather made aware to the cricket association officials by Hyderabad Police who informed that the won’t be able to provide adequate security, especially for the Pakistan match. One World Cup match will involve as many as 3000 police personnel while the remaining to will be deployed at the hotel when Pakistan players will be staying. HCA have been informed that back-to-back World Cup matches will lead to inadequate security for the Pakistan game.

It is yet to be seen whether BCCI will respond to the request having recently made nine changes to the original World Cup owing to security issues in Ahmedabad and Kolkata.