The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 commences in India on October 5, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have started their preparations. This is the first time that all matches of the tournament will be held in India, across 10 stadiums. The BCCI have been touted to spend almost Rs 500 crore to convert the stadiums into world-class facilities. Each stadium will get Rs 50 crore for improvement. Before the tournament starts, we look at the problems in these 10 stadiums:
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
The 2011 World Cup final was played at the Wankhede Ground in Mumbai. In that game, Team India, captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, won their second ODI trophy. This stadium is once more preparing itself to host World Cup matches. For the World Cup 2023, new LED lights will be installed. At the same time, improvements will also be made in the corporate box and toilets.
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
The dressing room will be upgraded for the convenience of the players at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. A total of five World Cup matches will be played on this ground. This includes the second semi-final match on 16th November.
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Rs 50 crore will be given to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for new LED lights and two pitches of red clay. A total of five matches are to be played at the Chepauk Stadium. The match is set to be played between India and Australia on October 8.
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala
This stadium hosted a match of the Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia, which is to be played before IPL 2023. New grass is being laid on the Dharamsala field. In addition to this, a drainage system is being prepared in the beautiful stadium with 6000 meters of pipes to drain out water. River sand and gravel tested in a laboratory in Scotland will be used on the outfield.
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
The ground in Pune is quite open. That’s why before the World Cup 2023, a roof will be constructed in most parts of this stadium. While work will also be done on cleaner toilets, better roads, and parking space at the stadium.
Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
The pitch of the Lucknow ground during IPL 2023 was very slow which made it difficult to bat. Now with the money received from BCCI, new pitches will be constructed in Lucknow ground to create a balance between ball and bat for the World Cup.
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
In Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, there is still a problem regarding the ticketing system, fans’ seats and toilets. All these problems will be tackled ahead of the World Cup 2023.
