England set to tussle against New Zealand for 2023 World Cup opener in Ahmedabad

Defending champions England are set to square off against the losing finalists of the 2019 World Cup in the curtain raiser of this year's ICC mega event, according to reports. The two teams are understood to collide in the World Cup opener on October 5 in Ahmedabad, with the final also set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19.

As per a report by Cricbuzz, hosts India are going to take on Australia in their campaign opener in Chennai. Meanwhile, the source also confirmed that India's arch-rivals Pakistan have agreed to travel to the host nation for the global tournament, despite their ongoing disagreement over the plans for the Asia Cup later this year.

While the World Cup opener and final are scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad, neighbours Pakistan are not inclined at playing their games at the Narendra Modi Stadium, requesting a change of venues for their group fixtures. However, they have agreed to play the final in Ahmedabad, if their team qualifies for the summit clash. According to a tentative schedule, the Men Green are likely to play their games in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.

Mohali and Nagpur are missing from the tentative list of World Cup venues

A total of 12 cities are set to host the matches of the quadrennial event with Kolkata, Delhi, Indore, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Rajkot, Raipur and Mumbai being the other destinations along with the aforementioned venues. While Mohali and Nagpur are the two glaring omissions from the list of venues, Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium is likely to host one of the semifinals. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to make an official announcement after the conclusion of the ongoing 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The apex cricket body is expected to have the final say in the scheduling of the fixtures and the venues. A total of ten teams, including hosts India, will participate in the tournament with South Africa being the latest team to secure direct qualification.