In the lead-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the participating teams are set to engage in their final dress rehearsals through a series of warm-up matches. These matches are crucial for teams to fine-tune their strategies and assess their preparedness for the main event.
India and Australia, two cricketing giants, will commence their warm-up matches on September 30, just days after completing their three-match ODI series in Rajkot. India will face England in their warm-up encounter, while Australia will take on the Netherlands.
Pakistan, another contender, is scheduled to warm up against New Zealand on September 29. South Africa, in preparation for the World Cup, will play against Afghanistan. Bangladesh will lock horns with Sri Lanka, adding to the intensity of the warm-up matches.
A notable aspect of these warm-up fixtures is the diversity of locations chosen for these matches. While India will travel to Guwahati in the far east for their initial warm-up, Australia will head south to Trivandrum. Similarly, Afghanistan and New Zealand, along with India and Australia, have warm-up matches scheduled in different cities.
In contrast, the remaining six teams will stay within one city for their warm-up games. Hyderabad will host Pakistan’s warm-up, Guwahati will welcome England, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, while the picturesque coastal town of Trivandrum will be the venue for the Netherlands and South Africa’s preparations.
The warm-up phase will culminate with marquee fixtures, as India and Pakistan will face the Netherlands and Australia, respectively, on the final day, October 3. After these warm-up games, the teams will disperse to their respective World Cup venues for their opening matches.
All warm-up matches are scheduled as day-night fixtures, commencing at 2 pm local time. Notably, all 15 members of the playing squad are permitted to participate in these warm-up encounters, providing teams with an opportunity to assess their full squad’s performance.
As the excitement builds for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the captains’ event is set to take place on October 4, one day ahead of the tournament’s official commencement on October 5 in Ahmedabad. The opening clash features defending champions England against New Zealand, the runners-up from the 2019 World Cup. Hosts India will embark on their campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
In addition to announcing the warm-up matches, the ICC has also revealed the official ticketing partners for the tournament and confirmed the pre-sale of tickets starting from August 24, 42 days before the World Cup’s commencement. Cricket fans around the world are eagerly anticipating this cricketing spectacle, and the warm-up matches will provide a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come.
Ajmal Khan