New Delhi, Jan 18: Fearing protests and disruption, Pakistani women cricket team's World Cup matches were today shifted to Odisha, bringing an end to the uncertainty over the fate of the team's participation following the killing of two Indian soldiers at the border.
Although the BCCI or the International Cricket Council are yet to make an official announcement, tournament director Suru Naik confirmed that the matches will be shifted to Cuttack in Odisha.
All the teams in group B comprising New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia and South Africa will play their matches in Cuttak and a fresh schedule is being worked out.
The BCCI had been looking for alternative venues ever since the tension at the Indo-Pak border escalated, forcing all the nine Pakistani hockey players taking part in the high-profile Hockey India League, to return home without playing a single match.
Originally, the entire tournament was scheduled to be held in Mumbai but fears of wide spread protests by Shiv Sena and other right-wing organisations against the Pakistan team prompted MCA to ask BCCI for an alternative venue.
The eight-team Women's World Cup is scheduled to begin on January 31 and culminate on February 17. Apart from the Barabati stadium in Cuttack, the Wankhede Stadium, Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) Bandra-Kurla Complex ground and the MIG Club in Bandra are the venues for the matches.
As per the schedule, Pakistan team is set to arrive in India on January 26.
