India’s Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has responded to allegations of bias in the venue allocations for the 2023 ICC World Cup. The BCCI refuted claims that political interference influenced the decision to exclude Mohali’s Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium from hosting any matches in the upcoming tournament.
Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayat condemned the exclusion of Mohali and accused political interference in the venue selection process. However, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, who is also a Member of Indian Parliament in Rajya Sabha, stated that Mohali did not meet the International Cricket Council (ICC) standards.
Speaking to Mirror Now, Shukla clarified, All bilateral matches will be given to Mohali, there will be no discrimination. The 100th Test match of Virat Kohli had been given to Mohali. Their Mullanpur stadium is getting ready and said to be finished.
Shukla further explained the reason behind Mohali’s exclusion from the World Cup, saying, Had Mullanpur been ready, they would have definitely hosted the World Cup, but Mohali was not meeting the standard fixed by ICC. That’s why it has been denied.
The 2023 World Cup will be hosted across 10 venues in India, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune. Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram, along with Hyderabad, will host the warm-up games from September 29 to October 3.
Ahmedabad will witness significant fixtures such as the tournament opener between England and New Zealand on October 5, the highly-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan on October 15, and the final on November 19. Mumbai and Kolkata will host the first and second semi-final matches, respectively.
Shukla asserted that the venue allocations were fair and well-considered, stating, I think it is a well-drafted schedule. Everybody has pondered over it, and new venues have been added. Lucknow and Guwahati have been given a chance. UP (Uttar Pradesh) never got a chance to host a World Cup before. Many venues from the south have been added. They have given a fair amount of consideration before finalizing the venues.
Responding to objections raised against the venue selection, Shukla emphasized the involvement of the ICC in approving the chosen venues. He said, All those who are alleging objections should realize that we need the consent of ICC also while picking up these venues.
This will be the fourth time that India hosts the World Cup, but it will be the first time the country serves as the sole host. In previous editions, India co-hosted with Pakistan in 1987, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996, and with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2011.
The BCCI remains committed to maintaining the highest standards for the upcoming World Cup while ensuring fair opportunities for all venues.
