The desire to attend a World Cup is a cherished dream for every cricket fan. The chance to experience this event only arises once every four years, making the anticipation a lengthy and challenging journey. While it may entail a considerable expense, the ultimate gratification makes it all worthwhile.
Regrettably, for numerous cricket enthusiasts in India, the prospect of attending the Cricket World Cup in their own homeland has been marred by frustration. This disappointment stems from the organizers’ prolonged delay in unveiling the final schedule and a disorganized ticketing procedure, which has led many to reluctantly abandon their dreams of being part of this prestigious event.
The International Cricket Council, cricket’s global governing body and organisers of the World Cup, released the fixtures on June 27—just 100 days before the start of the tournament on October 5, when defending champions England take on New Zealand in the opener in Ahmedabad.
The delayed schedule announcement drew strong criticism from fans, especially when considering that the schedules for the previous two ODI World Cups in Australia and New Zealand in 2015 and England and Wales in 2019 were released more than a year in advance.
On August 9, with less than two months remaining until the tournament’s commencement, the organizers of the 2023 World Cup further complicated matters for fans by unveiling an updated schedule.
The schedule adjustments affected nine matches, including the eagerly-awaited India vs. Pakistan clash in Ahmedabad, which was rescheduled from October 15 to October 14. These alterations to the timetable were apparently made due to security concerns and requests from the participating nations.
Match tickets for the general public went on sale in a staggered manner only from August 25, a mere 41 days before the opening match. And the process to book tickets was far from hassle-free; fans had to first register to be able to book tickets and then wait for hours before they could have a chance to buy them.
