Ashish Ranjan
Pakistan desires to switch venues for their upcoming ODI World Cup matches against Afghanistan and Australia, which are scheduled to take place in India between October and November.
Pakistan will play Afghanistan at the spin-friendly MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and Australia at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, according to the proposed schedule. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would prefer to play Australia in Chennai instead of Afghanistan.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has proposed that Pakistan play India in Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium. However, Pakistan has not yet approved the proposal, citing the need for government approval. This is believed to be the cause of the delay in releasing the official schedule for the major event.
According to a report from Cricket Pakistan, Pakistani analysts are examining venue data and have expressed some concerns. Some have theorized that India has purposely scheduled matches at venues where Pakistan may encounter difficulties with regard to pitch conditions and practice facilities, among other factors.
The pitch in Chennai favors spinners, which will be a challenge for Pakistan against Afghanistan, who has a potent spin attack at present. Pakistan has specifically requested that their upcoming matches against Australia and Afghanistan be relocated to Chennai and Bengaluru, respectively.
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According to the proposed schedule, Pakistan’s first two qualifying matches will take place in Hyderabad on October 6 and 12. The proposed date for the encounter against India is October 15, followed by the match against Australia in Bengaluru on October 20.
The matches between Pakistan and Afghanistan and South Africa are scheduled for October 23 and 27, respectively, in Chennai. They will face Bangladesh in Kolkata on October 31 and New Zealand in Bengaluru on November 5 prior to playing England in Kolkata on November 12.
