Delayed ODI World Cup schedule affecting team preparations, fans' travel

As the ODI World Cup is approaching, there are some uncertainties still looming which will most likely impact the teams who have already qualified for the mega cricket carnival. Notably, the schedule for the most awaited World Cup which is scheduled to take place in India in October this year, is yet to be released. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) yet to finalise the dates for the event, this uncertainty has got the fans fuming too.

Albeit, if the reports are to be believed then the Indian board is seemingly in discussion with the ICC regarding the schedule. Moreover, several contenders for the ultimate glory are busy with their upcoming cricket tours with the likes of Australia preparing for the upcoming World Test Championship Final, which will begin on June 7. The Aussies will lock horns with none other than the powerhouse of world cricket, India.

Meanwhile, with the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), several Indian cricketers are already occupied and so it is deemed as one of the major reasons for delaying the announcement of the schedule for the World Cup. Furthermore, England are surely going to have a busy summer with the Ashes Test series to be played against Australia post the WTC final. While looking at another aspect of the event which is attached to the cricket fans, the travel plans for the coveted mega event will also most likely get affected which is irking many team supporters already.

We'll soon announce the dates and venues: Senior BCCI Official

So far, the ICC have only posted about the overall standings of the respective teams who are going to compete for a place in the upcoming mega event or have already qualified. As per the latest speculations, the schedule will get announced post the IPL 2023. However, amid the unusual lack of information on the World Cup, a senior BCCI official shared an update on the matter.

“The discussion with the ICC is going on and we’ll soon announce the dates and venues,” a senior official of the BCCI was quoted as saying by the Times Of India (TOI).

Now speaking of the road to the ODI cricket world cup, the top eight teams have already qualified for the mega show while ten cricket-playing nations will compete through an ICC tournament which is scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe. Notably, out of them two top team will book their ticket to India to play in the mega event. Two major cricket teams in Sri Lanka and West Indies will be fighting it out for the world cup journey. Interestingly enough, on May 10, South Africa were at the mercy of the rains and sailed through to the eighth spot via automatic qualification after the first ODI between Ireland and Bangladesh got washed out.