The much-anticipated schedule for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 has been announced, and it promises a thrilling start for Team India. The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, will kick off their World Cup campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai. The opening match will set the tone for an exciting tournament ahead. The news, first reported by the Indian Express, has generated immense excitement among cricket enthusiasts.

Following their clash with Australia, India will travel to Delhi to face Afghanistan on October 11. However, the highlight of their group stage matches undoubtedly lies in their encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan, scheduled to take place on October 15 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This high-profile match is expected to draw immense attention and ignite the passionate rivalry between the two cricketing nations.

The schedule further reveals that after the match against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma and his team will face Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. They will then face a challenging fixture against New Zealand in Dharamshala on October 22. A six-day break will follow before India takes on England in Lucknow. The remaining fixtures will be held on November 2, 5, and 11 in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, respectively. The venues in Mumbai and Bengaluru will also witness India’s clashes against Qualifier I and II, while the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the match against South Africa.

If India successfully qualifies for the semifinals, the match will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, in the highly anticipated scenario of an India versus Pakistan semifinal, the match will be moved to the Eden Gardens due to security reasons, making it a captivating showdown at the historic venue.

The announcement of the World Cup schedule comes after a significant delay, bringing immense excitement with just 100 days remaining for the tournament. India will proudly host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the third time, showcasing the nation’s rich diversity and world-class cricketing infrastructure across 12 cities. The tournament will commence on October 5 in Ahmedabad, with the final set to take place on November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The semifinals will be hosted by the Wankhede Stadium and Eden Gardens on November 15 and 16, respectively.

The World Cup matches will be held across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Dharamshala, Kolkata, and Pune. However, Nagpur, Mohali, and Guwahati, which were initially in contention, have missed out on hosting matches.