ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: NZ vs PAK warm-up match to be played behind closed doors - Reports

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 NZ vs PAK warm-up match will be played in Hyderabad.

The warm-up match for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, between Pakistan and New Zealand, scheduled for September 29 at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, will be held without any spectators. This decision was made due to inadequate security arrangements, primarily because of a schedule change that coincides with local festivals. The Indian Board will instruct Bookmyshow, the World Cup's ticketing partner, to refund the money to those who had purchased tickets for the game.

“The game will be played without spectators and those who have booked their tickets, their money will be refunded,” a BCCI official confirmed according to the Indianexpress.

The city police asked the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to postpone the game because they could not ensure adequate security. They will be busy with the Ganesh Visarjan and Milan-Un-Nabi festivals, which will end on September 28. However, due to changes in the schedule, the organizers couldn't comply with this request. As a result, it has been decided that spectators won't be permitted to attend the game.

“The processions will go on late into the night and the local police would not be able to provide adequate security for a match of this scale,” a BCCI official said. “There will continue to be full security for both the teams during their stay and transit to the stadium.”

Furthermore, security agencies had previously expressed concerns about the two consecutive World Cup 2023 league matches scheduled for October 9 and October 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The October 10th game features Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while the match on the 9th involves New Zealand and Netherlands. To ensure safety, approximately 3,000 police personnel will be deployed for each game, with a significant presence at the hotel where the Pakistan team will be staying.