Here`s Why Mohali Did Not Get To Host A Single Cricket World Cup 2023 Match; BCCI Vice-President Explains

A total of ten venues will get to host the Cricket World Cup 2023 matches, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai. Mohali stadium, which hosted the India vs Pakistan semi-final in 2011, has not been given a single match.

When the schedule of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 was announced, Indian fans were upset with the fact that Mohali's PCA stadium was not given any game to host. Punja Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer called the move to not give Mohali any match 'politically motivated'. "While strongly condemning the exclusion of Mohali from the list of host cities in the schedule released for the ODI Cricket #WorldCup2023 to be held in India in the month of October-November this year, Sports Minister 
@Meet_Hayer has described this decision as being motivated by political reasons. He said that the State Govt led by CM @BhagwantMann will raise the issue of this discrimination and open injustice with the @BCCI," read a tweet from Government of Punjab.

Mohali's exclusion from the roster has shocked many. It is among the main Test centres of BCCI. Mohali also hosted the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup between India and Pakistan. 

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has explained why Mohali missed out on hosting a single World Cup match this year. He said that the stadium did not meet the ICC standars and hence was dropped as one of the venue options for the mega event. Shukla also informed that Mohali has been given many big matches in the past, including the 100th Test of Virat Kohli.

"Virat Kohli’s 100th Test last year was given to Mohali. Mullanpur Stadium is getting ready in Mohali. Had it been ready, they would have got a World Cup match. The current stadium in Mohali did not meet the standards of the ICC and hence was denied matches. But that does not mean that matches would not be given to them," Shukla told ANI.

Shukla added that venues are alloted by BCCI for home matches on basis of a rotational system and that no 'pick and choose' happens. He also said that Mohali will continue to get bilateral matches in future.

"ICC’s consent is important in finalising the venues. In Trivandrum, warm-up matches have been given, for the first time. It is not that any centre/zone has been ignored. Stadiums have been chosen after a lot of consideration, even in North East Zone, Guwahati got the matches. A lot of accommodation has been done in the schedule," he added.

The BCCI vice-president said that a lot of thought went into finalising the venues for the World Cup. Venues from all the parts of the country have been chosen and that for the first time 12 stadiums will get to host matches in a World Cup.

"For the first time, 12 venues have been chosen for World Cup. Earlier, these many venues were not chosen in previous World Cups. Out of these 12 venues, warm-up matches will be held in Trivandrum and Guwahati, remaining venues will have league matches. More centres have been accommodated. Four venues from South Zone, one from the central zone, two from West Zone, and North Zone got two venues," he further said.