ICC World Cup 2023 Venues: Which Stadiums Will Host Cricket Show-Piece Event Matches For First Time

Apart from Ahmedabad, nine other cities will host the 2023 ODI World Cup matches from October 5 to November 19. Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Dharamsala and Kolkata will be the nine cities that will play host to some crucial matches.

A total of 48 matches, including the semifinals and the final, spread across 46 days, will see 10 teams battle for the ODI crown in men’s cricket. Eight teams have already confirmed their spots for the show-piece event, while two teams will join them after the Cricket World Cup qualifiers.

Hosts India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa all earned direct entry to the tournament based on their positions in the Cricket World Cup Super League standings.

ICC World Cup 2023: Ahmedabad gets biggest matches – Venues Ranked according to Fixtures

This will be the fourth time India will host the ODI World Cup, but this will be the first time they host the tournament as single host as they hosted the previous three times as joint hosts with neighbours Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

India first played hosts to the Cricket World Cup in 1987 when they hosted the event jointly with Pakistan. In 1996, India jointly hosted the tournament with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while they last hosted the show-piece event along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Apart from the three ODI World Cups which they hosted jointly, India has hosted the T20 World Cup as single host in 2016. As it stands, 20 venues across the country have played host to a men’s World Cup match in India.

Three venues will make their debut in 2023 as hosts for a cricket World Cup match, while one venue will host a World Cup match since a big renovation and rechristening. Here is a look at the stadiums that will host the men’s cricket world cup match for first time.

Venues That Will Make ICC World Cup Debut

1. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad: Although the venue hosted a few matches under the old name of Sardar Patel Stadium or Motera with 48,000 capacity, the stadium that was renovated to hold a record 1,32,000 audience, will host a world cup match for the first time.

The venue will host five matches, including the tournament opener and the final as well as the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan. This will also be the fourth time World Cup matches will be held in Ahmedabad, where matches in 1987, 1996 and 2011 were also hosted.

2. Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, Pune: The MCA Stadium, the home to Maharashtra Cricket Team and Team India, is set to host a World Cup match for the first time. The venue, which was founded 2012, has a capacity of 37,000.

The MCA Stadium will host five matches, starting with India vs Bangladesh match as their opener. While this will be the first set of World Cup matches hosted by the venue, the city of Pune will be hosting a World Cup match for the third time.

Pune hosted matches at the Nehru Stadium, which is home to the Maharashtra Cricket Association and was home to Team India till 2005. Pune was a World Cup match host once each in 1987 and 1996.

3. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad: The Uppal Stadium that can house up to 55,000 audience, will make their World Cup debut in 2023. The venue is set to host just three matches, Pakistan’s matches against the two qualifiers and one match of New Zealand.

Like in most cases, this will be the third time, the city of Hyderabad will play host to a World Cup match. In 1987 and 1996, Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, hosted a World Cup match each.

4. Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow: Known as the Ekana Stadium, the venue will play hosts to a World Cup match for the first time in 2023. The venue that opened in 2017 can hold a full capacity of 50,000 crowd.

The venue will host five matches, including the Australia vs South Africa as well as India vs England games. This will be the first time Lucknow hosts a World Cup match, but not the first time for the state of Uttar Pradesh, where matches were held in 1987 and 1996 in Kanpur at the Green Park.