In stark contrast to the lavish spectacle witnessed in 2011 during the last sub-continental ODI World Cup, the 2023 edition kicked off without the glitz and glamour of an opening ceremony.
Reports from various sources affirm that an opening ceremony was never on the cards for this World Cup. As a stark contrast, back in April, BCCI orchestrated a resplendent opening ceremony for the Indian Premier League (IPL), graced by the presence of numerous Bollywood luminaries.
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Captains Day Event
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) set up a ‘Captains’ Day’ event, entailing a photo opportunity and press conference, at the illustrious Narendra Modi Stadium the day before the tournament’s inauguration.
At the pre-tournament event, all 10 captains found themselves in the hot seat as they were subjected to rigorous questioning by none other than former India head coach Ravi Shastri and ex-England captain Eoin Morgan. Interestingly, During the event, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, was questioned about the striking trend of the last three World Cups being clinched by the host nations. In response, he played down the significance of this factor.
“Not thinking too much about that stuff but yeah in the last 3 editions hosting teams won the World Cups and we will give our everything in this World Cup and enjoy the tournament.”
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Low In-Stadium Attendance?
Despite the absence of the customary opening fanfare, there’s a palpable buzz both within the city and the hallowed precincts of the Narendra Modi Stadium as the countdown to the first game of the World Cup draws near. Perhaps, the anticipation is further stoked by the fact that the opening match does not feature the host nation, India.
The fervour is poised to escalate dramatically when India faces arch-rivals Pakistan on October 14 in what promises to be the most eagerly awaited clash of the entire tournament. The inaugural match of the Cricket World Cup commenced at 2:00 PM IST, with New Zealand winning the toss and electing to field first.
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Source: tiengtrunghaato.edu.vn