ICC World Cup 2019 | India’s campaign opener against South Africa rescheduled from June 2 to June 4
BCCI
As per the revised schedule, India will not play their first match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup on June 2 and will now take on South Africa, two days later. The move came after BCCI asked ICC to keep a mandatory 15-day gap between IPL and international matches as per the Lodha Committee.
India, who are being considered as one of the hot favourites to win the trophy in 2019, will begin their two days after the previously devised dates and will take on South Africa, against whom they have an underwhelming record in the World Cup, having won only match in five encounters at the biggest stage of them all. The announcement to revise India’s schedule was taken in ICC General Body meeting in Kolkata.
"The 2019 IPL will be played between March 29 and May 19. But we need to maintain a 15-day gap and World Cup starts on May 30. Therefore as per 15
"South Africa are our first opponents. The CEC agreed and the matter has been referred to the ICC board.”
The World Cup will be played in a completely new format ( almost same as the Champions Trophy) as only 10 teams will take part in the tournament instead of normal 16 teams. The tourney will have a total of 48 matches and will begin on May 30,
However, surprisingly, India will not begin their campaign against Pakistan, considered as the biggest clash of the tournament and sure-shot sell-out as was seen in the 2015 World Cup and in Birmingham in the Champions Trophy group stage encounter.
"This is the first time Indo-Pak match won't be a starting affair. Since the format will be a round robin affair (all teams playing each other like 1992)," the official stated, when he was quizzed about the Indo-Pak encounter.
Some recent reports suggested that the BCCI denied playing a day/Night Test in Australia in their next tour Down Under. And now, the particular official has made it clear that India will play all four Tests in Australia in the conventional format considering the Pink ball Day/Night Test has not been added in the ICC World Test Championships.
"All matches in ICC World Test Championship are day matches played with
