World Cup 2023: ICC recce team visits Arun Jaitley Stadium

The International Cricket Council (ICC)’s recce team visited the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday to take stock of the facilities ahead of the 2023 50-over World Cup.

The team, also accompanied by officials from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), checked the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds as well as the stadium facilities for close to four hours, arriving at around noon and returning after four in the evening.

“The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) held a meeting with the recce team and was apprised of some of their concerns. They will submit a report in the next 3-4 days,” Rajan Manchanda, joint secretary of the DDCA told Patriot.

Delhi is scheduled to host five matches involving top teams like South Africa, England, Australia and host India in the tournament to be held in October-November this year.

The first match is on October 7, followed by games on October 11, October 15, October 25 and November 6.

Following the recce, there was a meeting between the officials of DDCA and the visiting team.

“We were apprised of some of the problems like those related to toilets at the venue. We have already told them that work has already been planned for it. Same is the case with seats among other things,” added Manchanda.

A major demand of the recce team is expansion of the media box as well as space for radio commentary.

Currently, just like in other major venues of the country, the media box at Arun Jaitley Stadium has limited space and the excess media is accommodated in a section which is allotted to the non-covering media.

“They are keen on having exclusive space for radio commentary and are looking for extended space for media since a lot of journalists from around the world will arrive,” added Manchanda.

Two additional pitches are also being laid out on the square for practice.

Since the teams wanted to have centre-wicket practice, it often created a situation where pitches on the square would get spoiled ahead of a match.

Therefore, two pitches – one each on either side of the square which comprised seven pitches earlier – will be laid out for practice to take place for the international teams in the World Cup. The total number of pitches on the square will increase to nine.

The international matches and IPL games generally take place on pitch Nos. 4, 5 and 6.

“What happens generally, especially during IPL is that due to teams practicing on the square, the playing surfaces get spoiled. So, it was required to add more pitches,” said PK Soni, a senior official of DDCA.