2023 ODI World Cup likely to start on October 5, final in Ahmedabad: Report

The 2023 ODI World Cup in India is likely to start on October 5 with the final to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19, according to a report.

The BCCI has shortlisted at least a dozen venues for the 10-team marquee event, which will see 48 matches, including three knockouts across the 46-day period, an ESPNcricinfo report said.

The 11 other shortlisted venues, according to the report, are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot and Mumbai.

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Except for the final match, which is set to be played at the world’s largest stadium in Ahmedabad, the BCCI has not specified the venues for any games as yet.

The list of 12 cities, however, does not include Mohali and Nagpur, which had hosted a Test match against visiting Australia recently.

India had won the title when it last hosted the 50-over World Cup in 2011.

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World Cup history

The 2023 World Cup will be the 13th edition of the tournament. The tournament first took place in 1975 in England.

This will be the fourth time that India will be hosting the tournament and the first time that it will be the sole host. They previously co-hosted the tournament in 1987, 1996 and 2011.

England is the defending champion heading into the tournament, having won the trophy on home soil in 2019 after defeating New Zealand in a thrilling final at Lord’s.

Australia is the most successful team in the history of the cricket World Cup, having won the tournament a record five times. West Indies and India have won the tournament twice, while England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have each lifted the trophy once.