The World Cup schedule is likely to undergo some modifications following requests from three member Boards of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the BCCI said on Thursday.
“Three members have written to the ICC for a schedule change. Only the date and timings will be changed, venues will not be changed. If there is a six-day gap between games, we are trying to reduce it to 4-5 days,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in New Delhi.
“The picture will be clear in three-four days. Changes will happen in consultation with the ICC,” he added.
Shah avoided a direct query on the India-Pakistan game and whether it will be rescheduled to October 14. The match has been scheduled for October 15 but local police have reportedly raised objections since it clashes with the first day of Navratri.
“As I have said before, few member Boards have written to the ICC and a decision will be taken soon,” Shah said.
Ticket talks
The meeting with representatives of the 12 host associations focused on the infrastructure development and tickets. Grant Thornton, a professional services firm, has been roped in by the BCCI for suggesting ways to enhance the facilities at stadiums in India.
Each hosting association has been allocated Rs 50 crore for stadium development by the BCCI.
No specific time frame has been set for the tickets to go on sale. The associations have to inform the BCCI about their plans — pricing, the number of tickets available for sale and complimentary tickets.
Each state association will enjoy the freedom to determine the pricing but has to submit their plans to the BCCI by early next week. It will then be forwarded to the ICC for approval.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) jumped the gun by announcing the ticket prices for the four league matches and the semi-final without informing the BCCI or the ICC.
Only after the BCCI gets the ICC’s approval can ticket sales commence.
