“Back-to-back games not ideal”: Has the World Cup schedule been altered once more? For organizational and security considerations, hosting two World Cup games in the same week is not ideal, according to a Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) official on Sunday. However, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla made it clear that any additional alterations to the schedule are “unlikely.”
The BCCI and ICC postponed up to nine games earlier this month following a much-delayed schedule release in June, including the centrepiece match between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad was rescheduled from October 12 to October 10 as a result of the Indo-Pak match in Ahmedabad being pushed up by one day on October 15. On October 9, the HCA will also host New Zealand vs. the Netherlands.
Now that Hyderabad police had expressed their concerns about providing security for consecutive games, the HCA has requested another alteration in the schedule, requesting at least a day to pass between the two games.
“Back-to-back games are not ideal, but I can’t tell for sure that they will be modified. I mean, it will be fine and nice if the BCCI is contemplating. We’ll need to collaborate with security organisations.
“Everyone would desire a day between two World Cup matches. To determine if it is feasible or not, we are still talking to security organisations. We are also keeping BCCI informed at the same time. An HCA employee who spoke on the record stated, “The BCCI is fully aware of what we are trying to do.
Shukla, however, stated in a formal statement that it is unlikely that there will be any further revisions because it needs the participation of numerous stakeholders.
“I am in charge of the World Cup venue in Hyderabad. Will make an effort to find a solution if there is a problem. The World Cup schedule cannot easily be changed, and it is unlikely to occur. Teams, the ICC, and the schedule can all be changed, but only the BCCI,”
The type of the game and the attendance rate also influence deployment. Police conduct those evaluations and deploy if necessary, the HCA source continued.
Given Pakistan’s participation in one of the games, extra security is anticipated. Pakistan will stay in Hyderabad for a long time as they play two warm-up games before appearing in as many tournament-related matches there. This will be the first time Pakistan has played in India since the T20 World Cup in 2016. On October 6, they played their inaugural match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against the Netherlands.
