Is World Cup 2023 opening ceremony being called off?

The opening ceremony of the much-anticipated ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 has been postponed for unexplained reasons.

In a report on Rev Sports (Indian Sports portal), it's been disclosed that the traditionally held opening ceremony for this grandest cricketing event will not take place.

Neither the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) nor the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the postponement of the opening ceremony.

This will be the first time in many editions of the ODI World Cup that there will be no official opening ceremony preceding the opening fixture - the clash between defending champions England New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad tomorrow (Thursday).

Notably, the BCCI had planned a grand opening ceremony at the Narendra Modi Stadium today (Wednesday), a day before the tournament's opening match at the same venue.

The planned ceremony was supposed to feature renowned Bollywood stars such as Ranveer Singh, Arijit Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, Shreyas Ghoshal, and Asha Bhosle. It was also expected to include fireworks and a laser show at the opening ceremony of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup.

The star-studded opening ceremony was scheduled to start at 7pm, following the Captains' Day event at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While the Captains' Day event is still on track, no official announcement has been made regarding the cancellation of the opening ceremony.

During the Captain's Day celebration, all the captains of the teams participating in the Men's World Cup, including India's skipper Rohit Sharma, will be present in Ahmedabad.

One of the most eagerly awaited matches of the tournament will take place on October 14, when India and Pakistan clash at the Ahmedabad venue.

A highlight of the tournament, the India vs Pakistan match, is scheduled for October 14 at the Ahmedabad venue. The BCCI are considering organising a function in Ahmedabad ahead of this blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan.

"The BCCI has now planned to hold the opening ceremony before the Pakistan vs India clash, which will be held on October 14," said the media reports.