ICC World Cup 2023: The Grandest Festival Of Cricket Amid The Festive Season

The World Cup 2023 is set to take off from today (October 5). The whole country will witness the grandest festival of the game across its length and breadth, as 10 nations are set to fight it out for the ultimate glory.

The 50-over World Cup returns to the soil after a gap of twelve years. The last time India hosted the ODI World Cup was back in 2011, and the men in blue lifted the trophy at that time, thus ending their 28-year-long trophy drought.

As India is all braced to host the World Cup again, things have changed a lot in these last twelve years. This is the first time India will host the event as a solitary nation, as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been the co-hosts in the yesteryears.

And another striking change of this World Cup is that the grandest festival of cricket has arrived amid the festival season in India.

October-November is generally an uplifting time for the Indians. Religious festivals such as Durga Puja, Kali Puja, and Diwali are celebrated by billions of Indians. And it this year, there will be another cause for people to celebrate.

World Cup 2023: The Contenders

The hopes are high among the people. There is an optimism about Rohit Sharma and co. this time around. The Men in Blue has been in a rich vein of form and is expected to travel a long way in the tournament.

Also, the arrival of Pakistan in the country has heightened the level of curiosity among people across the country. This is the first time Babar Azam and co. have arrived in India as none of their players have ever played in this country before.

The teams like Australia, England, South Africa and others are set to bring their own value and will enrich the World Cup even more. Perhaps the only thing which will be missing in this World Cup is the absence of West Indies. The Calypso boys failed to qualify for the grand extravaganza and their flamboyant flavour is something which won't be taking over the country.

World Cup 2023: Cricket Festival among Festivities

The Durga Puja starts from October 20 and will continue till October 24. On the day of Dussehra (October 24), South Africa is set to take on Bangladesh. Amid the festival days, on the day of MahaAshtami, India will be locking horns against New Zealand in Dharamshala.

India are set to take on England again on the day of Laxmi Puja, which is set to be held on October 29 this year.

The juggernaut then moves to November and there will be some eyecatching matches on the day of Kali Puja and Diwali as well.

Kali Puja, which is predominantly held in West Bengal, will see Pakistan take on England in the City of Joy on that day on November 11. And on the auspicious day of Diwali, India will be playing the Netherlands to conclude the group stages.

All in all, the biggest tournament is set to take over the pulse of this country for the next six weeks. A Festival is something which unites this vast and beautiful country, and is celebrated by everyone, breaking the barrier of caste and religion. There is no doubt that Indians will engross themselves in the festivities, and in all of those Puja Mandaps across the country, there will be prayers for Rohit Sharma and his troops.