ICC World Cup 2023If Pakistan qualify for semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata and not in Mumbai

By India Today Sports DeskThe International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday, June 27 announced the much-awaited schedule for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup. All eyes were on the date and the venue of the marquee clash between India and Pakistan and it was confirmed that the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad would host the big-ticket match on Sunday, October 15, 10 days after the opening fixture between New Zealand and England at the iconic venue.

The ICC also announced that the two semi-finals will be played in Mumbai and Kolkata. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host the semi-final between No. 1 and No. 4 in the points table on November 15 while the 2nd semi-final between No. 2 and No. 3 will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

However, the ICC also announced that if Pakistan qualify for the semi-final, they will play in Kolkata regardless of their position in their points table at the end of the round-robin group stage. If it’s an India vs Pakistan semi-final, then it will be played in Kolkata and not in Mumbai.

India will play their semi-final in Mumbai if it’s not against Pakistan, regardless of their standing in the points table.

According to an ICC release,

• If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata
• If India qualify for the semifinals, they will play in Mumbai unless playing against Pakistan, in which case they will play in Kolkata

Notably, Pakistan last traveled to India to play in the T20 World Cup in 2016. They were initially scheduled to meet India in Dharamsala but the match was moved to Kolkata upon the request of the former champions.

Notably, Pakistan Cricket Board’s former chief Najam Sethi had reportedly told the ICC that the 1992 champions did not want to play their matches in Ahmedabad. Sethi has conveyed to Barclay and Allardice that Pakistan doesn’t want it matches to be scheduled in Ahmedabad unless it is a knock-out game like final, news agency PTI had quoted a PCB source as saying earlier in June.

Najam Sethi had also stressed that the PCB was awaiting the government’s nod to travel to India for the World Cup. Notably, Pakistan’s foreign ministry had begun an evaluation of their participation in the World Cup in India, including the security situation in the neighboring country.

The tournament retains the round-robin format of last time with all teams playing against each other for a total of 45 league matches. There are six day matches in the tournament, which will start at 10h30 local time. All other matches, including the knockouts, will be day-night fixtures starting at 14h00.