The much-awaited ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 schedule was announced recently by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and host board, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As per the same, the 13th edition of the World Cup will be played from October 5 to November 19. The tournament will begin with a rematch of the 2019 edition as defending champions England will take on runners-up of the same edition, New Zealand, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
A total of 48 matches will be played at 10 venues across India. Apart from Ahmedabad, the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai are some of the prominent venues for the ICC World Cup 2023. Speaking of hosts and two-time champions India, the Men in Blue will play their nine round-robin matches at nine different venues across the country. However, some skepticism has arisen about their choice of venues, particularly for a couple of matches. This makes one wonder whether the BCCI wasn’t careful enough while trying to drive home the home advantage to the best of their ability when it came to venue selection for particular matches.
India taking on Australia in Chennai a dangerous proposition
In fact, India’s opening match of the 2023 World Cup will be against the mighty Australians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, a venue that has lately favored spin bowling quite a bit. And while playing spin should be India’s forte, that hasn’t quite been true in recent years. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has troubled Indian batters constantly over the years in white ball cricket, Virat Kohli, in particular. So he will be itching to have a go at India’s batters again when the World Cup clash happens at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai later in the year.
Speaking of seasoned Australian leg-spinner Zampa, he has played two ODI matches at the venue and was the Player of the Match in the deciding one-dayer in Chennai when Australia clinched the three-match series in India earlier this year 2-1. The Men in Blue were set to chase a target of 270, which is pretty much a below-par score in modern-day one-day cricket. However, Zampa ran through India’s batting to finish with excellent figures of 4/45 from 10 overs.
The seasoned leggie’s repertoire was on full display as he trapped Shubman Gill (37) leg before with one that drifted in. He then outfoxed KL Rahul (32) and had all-rounder Hardik Pandya caught with a scrambled seam delivery. He effectively sealed the game and the series in Australia’s favor by forcing Ravindra Jadeja (18) to miscue a tossed-up delivery. For sure, Zampa will be raring to go when the Aussies take on Team India in the World Cup 2023 clash in Chepauk.
Another stunning stat that BCCI might have ignored while working on India’s schedule is the fact that Australia have an exceptional record in one-dayers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Starting in 1987, they have played six one-day matches at the venue and have lost only one. They beat India and Zimbabwe in 1987, West Indies in 1989, New Zealand in 1996, and India again earlier this year. Their only one-day loss at the venue came in 2017 when they went down to the Men in Blue by 26 runs in a rain-affected game.
In contrast, hosts India have a mixed one-day record at the venue. They have played 14 one-day international games in Chepauk, winning seven and losing six. In fact, they have lost three of the last five ODIs they have played in Chennai. Before the loss against Australia, they even went down to a weak West Indies side in December 2019 as Shimron Hetmyer (139 off 106) and Shai Hope (102* off 151) struck contrasting tons. Before that, India went down to Pakistan by eight wickets in December 2012. In this game, Junaid Khan (4/43) reduced India to 29/5 inside 10 overs effectively sealing the game in Pakistan’s favor. History thus emphatically proves that India have not enjoyed playing ODIs in Chennai.
What about playing New Zealand in Dharamshala?
Another iffy game for Team India during their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign could be the clash against New Zealand, the one team that has troubled them the most in ICC events, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala on October 22. This was the same venue where the Kiwis stunned Australia by eight runs in the 2016 T20 World Cup. In a low-scoring game, New Zealand batted first and were held to 142/8. Mitchell McClenaghan (3/17), Corey Anderson (2/29), and Mitchell Santner (2/30) then starred with the ball as New Zealand held the Aussies to 134/9 to yet again stun their Trans-Tasman rivals in a World Cup event.
Speaking of ODIs, India have a mixed record in Dharamshala. They have played four one-dayers at the venue, winning two and losing an equal number. In January 2013, they managed only 226 against England, a total the opposition chased down in 47.2 overs with seven wickets in hand. Their last one-day game at the venue was against Sri Lanka in December 2017. In a horrific batting effort, they were bundled out for 112 in 38.2 overs. The Lankans tramped Team India in the game to register a seven-wicket win.
New Zealand have played only one ODI game at the venue and have lost that. They went down to India by six wickets in October 2016. However, the Men in Blue’s one-day record at the venue proves that they are not too comfortable playing in Dharamshala. Being so, New Zealand is the last team they want to face at the venue. Remember, the Kiwis have caused India numerous heartbreaks in ICC events over the last few years and they wouldn’t want another in the 2023 World Cup!
India’s WC 2023 schedule
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