ICC unveils schedule for 2023 ODI World Cup in India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially unveiled the schedule for the highly anticipated 13th edition of the ODI World Cup, set to take place in India from October 5 to November 19, 2023.

The tournament will witness the top 10 cricketing nations battling it out to claim the coveted trophy. In a press event held in Mumbai at 11:30 am IST today, the fixtures were revealed to the public.

The schedule launch event, which was broadcast live on Star Sports social handles at 12:00 pm IST, featured esteemed personalities including BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan, and ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice. The event kicked off with the announcement of the opening match between England and New Zealand, which will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5.

ICC World Cup 2023 Schedule: India's fixtures

IND vs AUS: October 8, Chennai 

IND vs AFG: October 11, Delhi

IND vs PAK: October 15, Ahmedabad 

IND vs BAN: October 19, Pune

IND vs NZ: October 22, Dharamshala

IND vs ENG: October 29, Lucknow

IND vs QF2: November 2, Mumbai 

IND vs SA: November 5, Kolkata

IND vs QF1: November 11, Bengaluru 

India, the host nation, will commence their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8. One of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament, the Indo-Pak encounter, is scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad on October 15.

As per the tournament format, the knockouts will begin with the semifinals. The first semifinal is slated to occur on November 15 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, while the second semifinal will be held on November 16 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The final showdown will take place on November 19 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

With a total of 48 matches scheduled over a span of 46 days, the tournament promises to deliver an intense and captivating cricketing spectacle. The league matches are expected to be played across ten different cities in India, with two additional cities likely to host the warm-up games leading up to the main event.

In an effort to generate excitement and engage cricket fans worldwide, the ICC has planned an extensive Trophy Tour for the 2023 edition. Starting from June 27, the prestigious World Cup trophy will embark on a journey to 18 countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, USA, Nigeria, Uganda, France, Italy, the United States of America, and the host nation India.

The trophy tour commenced with a spectacular launch as the silverware was sent soaring into the stratosphere. Attached to a stratospheric balloon equipped with high-resolution 4K cameras, the trophy reached an altitude of 120,000 feet above the earth, capturing breathtaking images.

The trophy then descended gracefully, culminating in a stunning arrival at the Narendra Modi Stadium.