ODI World Cup 2023: The ICC unveiled the revised schedule for the upcoming ODI World Cup set to take place in India. This announcement was made on the evening of August 9. Notably, adjustments have been made to the original schedule of 9 matches that were initially released in the last week of June. India is scheduled to play one of their matches on Diwali, against Netherlands. The last time, this happened was 36 years ago, in the year 1987.
India to play on Diwali
A particularly significant alteration involves the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan, which has been rescheduled to October 14, shifting from its previous date of October 15. Additionally, modifications have been applied to the match schedule for the Indian team, including the fixture against the Netherlands.
During the organization of the ODI World Cup in India, the country will be immersed in several major festivals. The festivities will commence with Navratri, followed by Kali Puja, Dussehra, and Diwali. Notably, a shift has occurred in the match schedule for the Indian team against the Netherlands, coinciding with Diwali, which is slated for November 12.
Originally, the Indian team’s initial match against the Netherlands was planned for November 11 at Bengaluru’s M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, this fixture has been moved to November 12. Similarly, the match between Pakistan and England, initially scheduled for November 12, will now take place on November 11 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens ground. This adjustment is due to Kali Puja being observed in Kolkata on the day of Diwali.
What happened the last time India played on Diwali?
In the past, there has been a conscious effort to ensure that important matches do not overlap with major festive occasions, including Diwali. Notably, the Indian team’s participation in matches on Diwali has been quite limited. The most recent instance was 36 years ago during the 1987 World Cup against Australia, held at the Delhi ground. In this memorable encounter on October 22, Team India emerged victorious with a commanding 56-run lead.
Batting first, India made a score of 289/6 in 50 overs with Dilip Vengasarkar scoring the highest 63 while Sunil Gavaskar scored 61. Meanwhile, Azharuddin played a quick cameo and scored 54* off 45 balls. Navojot Singh Sidhu also notched up a brilliant 51. In response, the Kangaroos were bundled out for 233 runs in 49 overs. Maninder Singh and Mohammed Azharuddin took 3-3 wickets each as India pulled a memorable victory.
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER.
