No opening ceremony for ICC ODI World Cup 2023

The highly anticipated ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is all set to commence on October 5 at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, featuring a match between the two finalists of the previous edition, England and New Zealand.

However, in a recent development, according to Rev Sports, it has been announced that there will be no opening ceremony for this prestigious event, which is a common tradition for major tournaments.

No opening ceremony for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. #CWC23

— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) October 2, 2023

Previously, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had planned a grand opening ceremony at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 4, a day before the tournament's opening match at the same venue. 

The ceremony was supposed to feature renowned Bollywood stars such as Ranveer Singh, Arijit Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, Shreyas Ghoshal, and Asha Bhosle. It was also expected to include fireworks and a laser show to mark the beginning of the 2023 World Cup in India.

The star-studded opening ceremony was scheduled to start at 7 PM IST, immediately following the Captains' Day event at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While the Captains' Day event is still on track, no official announcement has been made regarding the cancellation of the opening ceremony.

All ten captains, including India's skipper Rohit Sharma, will be present in Ahmedabad for the Captains' Day. Team India will begin their tournament campaign three days later in Chennai, facing off against Australia, who have won the World Cup five times and are aiming for a sixth title.

One of the most eagerly awaited matches of the tournament will take place on October 14, when India and Pakistan clash at the Ahmedabad venue.

Indian team has displayed excellent form in the recently concluded Asia Cup, where they emerged as champions after defeating Sri Lanka. Furthermore, they continued their winning streak by defeating Australia in a three-match series on their home ground with a score of 2-1. 

In contrast, the Pakistani team had a disappointing performance in the Asia Cup, and there have been rumours of internal issues among their senior players. Additionally, the injury of fast bowler Naseem Shah has added to their challenges. It will be intriguing to observe how the Pakistani team handles these obstacles in the upcoming prestigious event.