The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the schedule for the highly anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The announcement was made at a special event in Mumbai titled “Countdown to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023”. The tournament is set to be the largest Cricket World Cup ever, featuring ten teams competing across ten venues from 5 October to 19 November.
The prestigious tournament will kick off with the opening match between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 5 October. Ahmedabad will also be the venue for the final match on 19 November, adding to the excitement of the cricketing spectacle.
Apart from Ahmedabad, the other nine venues confirmed for the tournament are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune. Additionally, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will join Hyderabad in hosting the practice matches.
Fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the clash between defending champions England and 2019 finalists New Zealand in the tournament opener. The host nation, India, will face off against five-time champions Australia in Chennai on 8 October, setting the stage for an intense battle.
Some highly anticipated matches include the encounters between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on 15 October in Ahmedabad, as well as the match between Australia and England on 4 November, also in Ahmedabad.
A total of ten teams will participate in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, with eight teams qualifying through the Cricket World Cup Super League. The final two spots will be filled by the finalists of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which is scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe.
The tournament will follow the round-robin format, with all teams facing each other in 45 league matches. There will be six-day matches starting at 10:30 Indian Standard Time (IST), while the rest, including the knockout matches, will be day-night fixtures commencing at 14:00 IST.
The top four teams from the league stage will advance to the semifinals, which will be held in Mumbai on 15 November and Kolkata on 16 November. To account for any unforeseen circumstances, reserve days have been scheduled for the semifinals and the final.
Geoff Allardice, ICC Chief Executive, expressed his excitement for the upcoming World Cup, anticipating it to be the greatest ever. He acknowledged the massive fan base worldwide and the electric atmosphere expected in India, culminating with the trophy being lifted at the iconic Ahmedabad cricket stadium, the largest in the world.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah expressed his pride in hosting the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup across various cities in India. He highlighted the enthusiasm and passion for cricket in the country, especially since India last hosted the tournament in 2011, winning it on home soil. He extended his best wishes to all participating teams and anticipated another thrilling competition.
ICC ODI WORLD CUP 2023 SCHEDULE
| FIXTURE | DATE | VENUE |
| England vs New Zealand | October 5 | Ahmedabad |
| Pakistan vs Qualifier 1 | October 6 | Hyderabad |
| Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | October 7 | Dharamsala |
| South Africa vs Qualifier 2 | October 7 | Delhi |
| India vs Australia | October 8 | Chennai |
| New Zealand vs Qualifier 1 | October 9 | Hyderabad |
| England vs Bangladesh | October 10 | Dharamsala |
| India vs Afghanistan | October 11 | Delhi |
| Pakistan vs Qualifier 2 | October 12 | Hyderabad |
| Australia vs South Africa | October 13 | Lucknow |
| England vs Afghanistan | October 14 | Delhi |
| New Zealand vs Bangladesh | October 14 | Chennai |
| India vs Pakistan | October 15 | Ahmedabad |
| Australia vs Qualifier 2 | October 16 | Lucknow |
| South Africa vs Qualifier 1 | October 17 | Dharamsala |
| New Zealand vs Afghanistan | October 18 | Chennai |
| India vs Bangladesh | October 19 | Pune |
| Australia vs Pakistan | October 20 | Bengaluru |
| England vs South Africa | October 21 | Mumbai |
| Qualifier 1 vs Qualifier 2 | October 21 | Lucknow |
| India vs New Zealand | October 22 | Dharamsala |
| Pakistan vs Afghanistan | October 23 | Chennai |
| South Africa vs Bangladesh | October 24 | Mumbai |
| Australia vs Qualifier 1 | October 25 | Delhi |
| England vs Qualifier 2 | October 26 | Bengaluru |
| Pakistan vs South Africa | October 27 | Chennai |
| Qualifier 1 vs Bangladesh | October 28 | Kolkata |
| Australia vs New Zealand | October 28 | Dharamsala |
| India vs England | October 29 | Lucknow |
| Afghanistan vs Qualifier 2 | October 30 | Pune |
| Pakistan vs Bangladesh | October 31 | Kolkata |
| New Zealand vs South Africa | November 1 | Pune |
| India vs Qualifier 2 | November 2 | Mumbai |
| Qualifier 1 vs Afghanistan | November 3 | Lucknow |
| England vs Australia | November 4 | Ahmedabad |
| New Zealand vs Pakistan | November 4 | Bengaluru |
| India vs South Africa | November 5 | Kolkata |
| Bangladesh vs Qualifier 2 | November 6 | Delhi |
| Australia vs Afghanistan | November 7 | Mumbai |
| England vs Qualifier 1 | November 8 | Pune |
| New Zealand vs Qualifier 2 | November 9 | Bengaluru |
| South Africa vs Afghanistan | November 10 | Ahmedabad |
| India vs Qualifier 1 | November 11 | Bengaluru |
| England vs Pakistan | November 12 | Kolkata |
| Australia vs Bangladesh | November 12 | Pune |
| Semifinal 1 | November 15 | Mumbai |
| Semifinal 2 | November 16 | Kolkata |
| Final | November 19 | Ahmedabad |
The announcement of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 schedule has ignited huge anticipation among cricket enthusiasts worldwide. With ten teams competing across prestigious venues, including the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the opening match and the final, the stage is set for a thrilling cricketing spectacle. As fans eagerly count down to the tournament, the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 promises to deliver unforgettable moments, intense battles, and the crowning of a new champion, making it an event that cricket lovers across the globe eagerly await.