The ODI World Cup 2023 is expected to begin on October 5 and end on November 19. According to reports, the Indian Cricket Board, the event’s host, has shortlisted at least a dozen venues, with the final set to take place at the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
Aside from Ahmedabad, the cities on the shortlist are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. Over 46 days, the tournament will feature 48 matches, including three knockouts.
The Indian Cricket Board has not yet announced any game venues or the two or three cities where teams will play warm-ups. The delay in finalising the venues is due to the complications caused by the monsoon season receding at various venues across India.
Normally, the Apex Cricket Council announces schedules at least a year in advance, but this time it has also been waiting for the Indian Cricket Board to obtain the necessary government clearances. This includes two major issues: obtaining a tax exemption for the tournament and obtaining visa clearance for the Pakistan team, which has not played in India since early 2013, except at Apex Cricket Council events.
Apex Cricket Council’s quarterly meetings discuss issues concerning ODI World Cup 2023
The Indian Cricket Board is said to have assured the Apex Cricket Council’s quarterly meetings last weekend in Dubai that visas for the Pakistan contingent would be cleared by the Indian government.
Concerning the tax exemption issue, the Indian Cricket Board is expected to update the Apex Cricket Council soon on the Indian government’s exact position. The tax exemption was part of the host agreement signed in 2014 when India was awarded three men’s events: the 2016 20-20 World Cup, the 2018 Champions Trophy (later changed to the 2021 20-20 World Cup, which was moved to the UAE and Oman due to the pandemic), and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The Indian Cricket Board was required by the agreement to assist the Apex Cricket Council in obtaining tax exemptions. The Indian tax authorities informed the Apex Cricket Council last year that it would be charged a 20% tax order (excluding surcharges) for its broadcast revenue from the 2023 World Cup.
