The ICC has officially announced the commencement of the Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 5th. The opening match will feature defending champions England against the previous edition's runner-up, New Zealand, in a highly anticipated clash at Ahmedabad. The grand event took place in Mumbai, creating significant excitement among cricket enthusiasts. The prestigious Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will serve as the venue for the much-anticipated India vs. Pakistan encounter on October 15th, coinciding with Babar Azam's birthday. The stadium will also host the final match on November 19th, while the two semifinals will take place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata's Eden Gardens on November 15th and 16th, respectively.

This fourth edition of the World Cup in India will span across 10 venues, marking the return of ODI cricket's flagship tournament to the country since Team India's triumphant 2011 World Cup victory on home soil. The matches will be held in Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, Dharamsala, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad. Surprisingly, the renowned Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, with a capacity of 55,000 and having hosted 5 Tests, 7 ODIs, and 3 T20Is, is the only historic international venue where India does not have a league match scheduled. Additionally, both semifinals will have a reserve day in case of any interruptions.

Eight out of the ten teams participating in the grand cricket extravaganza have already secured their spots, while the remaining two will be determined through the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers. The tournament format will involve each team playing the other nine in a round-robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the knockout stage and semifinals. Prior to the tournament, warm-up matches will be held from September 29th to October 3rd in Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad.

Rohit Sharma and his team will kickstart their campaign against a formidable Australian side on October 8th at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium. Apart from challenging encounters against Pakistan and Australia, India will face tough competition from New Zealand in Dharamsala and England in Lucknow— the only two teams that handed them defeats in the 2019 World Cup. During the previous edition, India lost their only league match against England at Edgbaston, and subsequently, the BlackCaps eliminated them with an 18-run victory in the rain-marred semifinal match at Manchester, which spanned over 24 hours.

The announcement of the World Cup schedule comes exactly 100 days prior to the tournament's commencement, an unprecedented delay that may impact the travel plans of fans and the media. Initially, the schedule was expected to be revealed during the World Test Championship final, but it was postponed due to the buzz surrounding the India vs. Australia Test match at The Oval. The delay was reportedly caused by Pakistan's request to reschedule their matches against Australia in Bengaluru on October 20th and Afghanistan in Chennai three days later. However, the BCCI declined their request, as evident from the finalized schedule.

In contrast, the fixtures for the 2019 World Cup in England were announced well in advance on April 18th, over a year prior to the tournament's commencement on May 30th. This unusual delay in revealing the schedule has resulted in a lack of buzz around the upcoming tournament. The ICC, along with the BCCI, has maintained secrecy regarding the schedule, keeping fans and enthusiasts eagerly waiting for the announcement.

World Cup 2023 FAQ

Which country is going to host the ICC World Cup 2023?
The World Cup 2023 will be hosted by India - the fourth time in history and first since 2011.

Which teams are going to play in the ICC World Cup 2023?
India, Pakistan, England, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, South Africa are the eight teams that have qualified for the World Cup. The remaining two will be finalised after the World Cup qualifiers conclude.

Will Pakistan host any World Cup?
Although no World Cup is scheduled to be held in Pakistan at the moment, the country will be hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy.

When will the 2023 World Cup start?
The round-robin stage of the 2023 World Cup will start from October 5 but the warm-up matches will begin on September 30. The warm-up matches will take place from September 29 to October 3.

What is the schedule of the 2023 World Cup?
The Cricket World Cup 2023 will begin on October 5 with defending champions England taking on last edition's runner-up New Zealand in the opener at Ahmedabad. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will also be the venue for the blockbuster India vs Pakistan clash on October 15, which also happens to be Babar Azam's birthday. The world's largest cricket stadium will also play host to the final on November 19, with the two semifinals to be played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata's Eden Gardens on November 15 and 16 respectively.

How many matches will be played in 2023 CWC?
A total of 48 matches of the World Cup, including the knockouts, will be held across 10 venues.