The journey that the 2023 ODI World Cup took to reach its grand opening in Ahmedabad on Thursday was so exhaustive, many players and fans must already be feeling the fatigue kicking in.
Delays in announcing the schedule, uncertainty over fixtures, unavailability of match tickets all contributed to a tense build-up to the 50-over showpiece event. But when the action finally begins at the Narendra Modi Stadium with defending champions England taking on Lord's 2019 finalists New Zealand, all the murmurs will die down and we will get to focus on cricket again.
The 50-over format has come up for debate, with some suggesting it should be restricted to World Cup cycles. Whether or not that happens, now is the time to enjoy the best of both worlds – the attrition of Test cricket across 100 overs and the impulse of T20 sprinkled over it.
What?
Opening match of 2023 Cricket World Cup: England v New Zealand
When?
Thursday, October 5, 2023, from 12.30pm UAE time
Where?
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
How to watch Cricket World Cup 2023 in the UAE?
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will be shown on CricLife Max via eLife channel 777 for Dh175, Switch TV app for Dh29 weekly, or Dh99 for the Tournament Pass, and the Starzplay app in the UAE. The tournament package can be purchased for Dh99.
Prize money
The winners of the 2023 World Cup will receive $4 million from the overall $10 million.
The runners-up will take home $2 million, while the losing semi-finalists will get $800,000 each.
Also, the winners of each match in the group stage will receive $40,000 and the six teams that do not qualify for the semi-finals will be given $100,000.
World Cup venues
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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 -
The picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala has a capacity of 23,000. Getty -
Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow. Capacity: 50,000. Sportzpics for BCCI -
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Capacity: 32,000. Sportzpics for IPL -
Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad. Capacity: 55,000. Sportzpics for IPL -
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Capacity: 45,000. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata. Capacity: 68,000. Sportzpics for IPL -
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Capacity: 50,000. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Capacity: 33,000. Sportzpics for IPL -
MCA Stadium, Pune. Capacity: 37,000. Sportzpics for IPL
