The India vs Pakistan game in the ICC World Cup is set to be changed and is likely to be rescheduled to October 14, a day ahead of the original date. This decision comes as the initial date clashed with the opening day of the Hindu festival Navratri, posing safety and security concerns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
To accommodate this change, England vs Afghanistan, initially scheduled for October 14, may be rescheduled to allow for the high-profile India vs Pakistan match. The morning game of October 14, New Zealand vs Bangladesh, could be shifted to October 15 to accommodate the adjustments.
The BCCI wants to avoid scheduling two games on days when India plays to prioritize safety concerns. By moving the India vs Pakistan match to October 14, India will have an extra day to prepare for their next game against Bangladesh on October 19 in Pune.
However, this change poses challenges for Pakistan, as they face Sri Lanka on October 12 at Hyderabad and then play India at Ahmedabad on October 14, leaving them with limited preparation time. Consequently, there is a possibility that the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka game might also be rescheduled. After the India match, Pakistan will take on Australia at Bengaluru.
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The change in schedule won’t have a significant impact on New Zealand’s plans. If the New Zealand vs Bangladesh game is shifted from the 14th to the 15th, it won’t be a problem for the Kiwis, as they are scheduled to stay in Chennai for a week, leading up to their match against Afghanistan on October 18.
Similarly, Bangladesh, India’s neighbor, won’t face major issues with the rescheduling of games either. They are set to play England on October 10 and then New Zealand. If the game against New Zealand is moved to the 15th, Bangladesh will have sufficient time to prepare for their next match against India on October 19 in Pune.
Indeed, the changes in the schedule won’t cause significant trouble for the defending champions, England. Shifting their game against Bangladesh from October 14 to the 15th means they will now face South Africa on October 21. This adjustment doesn’t create major issues for them.
However, Afghanistan might face some challenges with the schedule changes. Having their match against England moved to the 15th could result in less preparation time for their game against New Zealand on October 18 in Chennai, following their match against India on October 11 in Delhi.
As for Sri Lanka, there aren’t any major noteworthy changes, except for their match against Pakistan on October 12, which is likely to be swapped to be a day game.