Rain threat to Cricket World Cup 2023 warm-up matches

India v England practice game in Guwahati on Saturday washed out

The 2023 World Cup warm-up match between England and India in Guwahati on Saturday, September 30, was washed out. AP

The ODI World Cup 2023 has had a far from ideal start with rain ruining the preparations of many teams.

Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram have been affected by rain and these two venues for the World Cup warm-up matches are likely to witness more weather trouble in the coming days.

So far, practice matches between South Africa and Afghanistan in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, and India and England in Guwahati on Saturday have been called off due to rain. Saturday's match between Australia and the Netherlands was delayed by more than five hours due to heavy rain and reduced to a 23-over contest.

England players would not have been entirely unhappy about the washout. The defending champions had spent nearly 38 hours travelling from London to Guwahati with lengthy layovers in between.

More rain is forecast for the next four days in both cities - which host all but one training game - which means most teams might enter the main tournament with none or hardly any practice.

Guwahati, in the north east of the country, and Thiruvananthapuram, in the south, are in the midst of what is known as the retreating monsoon.

Hyderabad, the third venue for warm-up matches, has seen relatively clear weather and is scheduled to host just one more match - between Australia and Pakistan.

If rain affects the remaining warm-up matches, India, England, South Africa and Afghanistan could well enter the main World Cup with zero match practice.

Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia and the Netherlands have all played some cricket in India so far.

The 50-over showpiece event gets underway in Ahmedabad on October 5 when England take on New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the opening game of the 2023 ODI World Cup on October 5 at the final on November 19. AFP

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has a capacity of 132,000. Getty

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