Former India captain Kapil Dev voiced his concern about the country's schedule for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. The much-awaited competition is slated to be held in India, with the opening match taking place on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad between the 2019 finalists England and New Zealand.
Given the hectic schedule, Dev believes that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not providing sufficient support for the players. The 64-year-old drew attention to the uneven travel itinerary because India would play its group stage games at nine different locations. The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also stated that the BCCI should offer the players the necessary amenities, such as chartered flights for travel during the tournament.
“India is playing 11 matches and the amount of travelling they have to do…Who made that fixture? You are going to Dharmashala, then to Bengaluru, to Kolkata… playing in nine different places," Kapil Dev told The Week.
When asked about India's 10-year ICC (International Cricket Council) trophy drought, the legendary all-rounder stated that the Rohit Sharma-led side will most likely reach the tournament's finals. He feels India only needs to clear the "final hurdle" to win trophies.
“We are still playing well…we are reaching the finals, the semifinals," the former cricketer added.
India plays Australia in their ODI World Cup opener
The fixtures for the ODI World Cup were announced on June 27. India will lock horns with the reigning World Test Champions, Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to begin their World Cup campaign.
After playing Afghanistan in their second game, the squad will return to Delhi before travelling to Ahmedabad to take on arch-rivals Pakistan. Notably, all of these contests will take place within a week from October 8 to 15. Moreover, it would be intriguing to watch if the Rohit Sharma-led side can end India’s decade-long ICC trophy drought.
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