2 cities which hosted India games in 2011 World Cup but missed out in 2023
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the 2023 World Cup in India on Tuesday. 10 cities will host 48 matches in total from October 5 to November 19. This is the third time India is hosting an ODI World Cup.
Apart from the attention of sports fans around the world, the World Cup gives a boost to the tourism, hospitality, and other local businesses of each city, especially if it's an India match.
Two cities that enjoyed this privilege at the 2011 World Cup have missed out on hosting rights for the 2023 World Cup. These are:
#1 Nagpur
Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, which witnessed India's only defeat in the 2011 World Cup, will not host any matches in this year's World Cup.
MS Dhoni elected to bat after winning the toss against South Africa. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag got India off to a brilliant start. The latter lost his stumps to Faf du Plessis for 73 (66), but a well-set Sachin went on to hit an outstanding 111 (101) with support from Gautam Gambhir's 69 (75).
An even more stunning collapse followed, as from 267/1, India got all out for just 296 and fell 20–30 runs short of a par score. Birthday boy Dale Steyn was the wrecker-in-chief on his favorite Indian ground, picking up 5/50 in his 9.4 overs.
South Africa didn't have a smooth chase. In complete contrast to India, six of the top-nine Proteas batters scored 20+ runs.
However, they kept losing wickets regularly, and it came down to the 13 runs needed off the last over. But spinner Robin Petersen emerged as an unlikely match-winner, hitting two fours and a six against Ashish Nehra to win the match.
The venue hosted India's first Test against Australia in the 2023 Border Gavaskar Trophy. Last year, it was criticized for a poor drainage system that caused a lot of post-rain delay in a T20I match between the same countries.
#2 Mohali was host to India's semi-final against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup
Mohali's IS Bindra Stadium hosted the semi-final between India and Pakistan in the 2011 edition, perhaps its most iconic match.
The stadium hosted its last few IPL matches this year and had run into a few problems, including complaints from nearby residents about disturbances during matches. Although the stadium, built in 1994, was reportedly on the BCCI's list for renovation ahead of the mega event, it hasn't been given any games.
The Punjab Cricket Association is set to change bases to the newly-built Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur later this year.
Matches don't get much bigger than an India-Pakistan clash in the semi-final. India won the toss and batted first in that game as well, and Sachin played yet another gem: 85 (115). Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina contributed good 30s, and India crawled to 260/9.
It could have been a tricky total, but the bowlers put in as complete a team performance as seen from India. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan Singh, and Yuvraj Singh all took two wickets each.
Apart from Misbah ul Haq's 56 (76), Pakistan batted long enough to sustain a partnership, and they were bowled out for 231.