"People who booked their hotel rooms and hospital beds have got stuck" - Aakash Chopra on the date change for India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 clash
Aakash Chopra feels fans who have booked their accommodation will be the only ones impacted by the change in date of the India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 clash.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently altered the previously announced schedule for nine matches of the upcoming World Cup. The clash between the two arch-rivals is one of the games rescheduled.
Reflecting on the development in a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that traveling fans will be the most impacted by the move. He elaborated:
"The World Cup's final schedule has now come. The India vs Pakistan match that was scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad on October 15 will now be played on the 14th. What difference does it make anyway whether you play on the 15th or the 14?"
The former Indian opener added:
"It shouldn't make too much difference to the broadcaster as 14th is a Saturday. However, people who booked their hotel rooms and hospital beds have got stuck. They were not getting places to stay in any case and now the match is happening on the 14th. So there is a story there."
India's league game against Pakistan has been moved ahead by a day because of a clash with the first day of the Navratri festival.
"It was going to have a cascading effect" - Aakash Chopra on the date change for the India-Pakistan clash
Aakash Chopra highlighted that the preponement of the India-Pakistan game necessitated other schedule changes. He explained:
"It won't work out with just one change. It was going to have a cascading effect. There was supposed to be a Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match in Hyderabad on October 12. That will now be played on the 10th so that Pakistan also gets four days to recuperate."
The renowned commentator added that the India-Netherlands clash has been postponed by a day, a change done to avoid a clash with the Pakistan-England game which has been moved due to Kali Puja. He observed:
"Another India match has been changed. The India vs Netherlands game will now be on November 12, it was earlier supposed to be played on the 11th. The venues have not been changed, only the dates have been changed. A few other matches have also been rescheduled."
Chopra pointed out that both games that were previously scheduled for October 14 have also been moved. He added that such a move has been done to give a free run for the India-Pakistan game from the broadcaster's perspective.