The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) denied any allegations of favoritism regarding the selection of venues for the 2023 ICC World Cup. The schedule for the 13th edition of the tournament was announced on June 27th during an ICC event in Mumbai. The tournament will feature 48 matches, including the final and two semi-finals, across 10 different venues in India.
Notably, the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, which has hosted bilateral and IPL matches, was not selected as a venue for the World Cup. Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayat criticized this decision and accused political interference in the selection process. However, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, who is also a member of the Indian Parliament in Rajya Sabha, stated that Mohali did not meet the ICC’s standards.
Shukla assured that all bilateral matches would still be held in Mohali and that their Mullanpur stadium was being prepared for future events. If Mullanpur had been ready, it would have been selected as a venue for the World Cup, but Mohali did not meet the necessary criteria.
