Nine WC Games rescheduled: India to play Pakistan on Oct 14, Pakistan vs England game on Nov 11
New Delhi, Aug 9: The marquee World Cup match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will now be played on October 14, one day before the original slot, the ICC confirmed on Wednesday as the world governing body announced rescheduling nine games of the tournament.
As per the latest update, Pakistan and England will have three of their games rescheduled (either date or time), while dates of India's two games have been altered.
The other India game that has been rescheduled is their last league match against the Netherlands which was originally scheduled for November 11 but now it will be held on November 12 in Bengaluru.
That India versus Pakistan match will be advanced by a day was reported by PTI recently after security agencies expressed inability to provide adequate security on October 15, which is the first day of Hindu festival, Navratri.
As a result, England's fixture against Afghanistan in New Delhi will be moved from Saturday, October 14 and will now be played 24 hours later on Sunday, October 15.
With Pakistan needing adequate gap before India game, their match against Sri Lanka scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on October 11 will instead now be played on October 10.
On the same day, England were earlier scheduled to play Bangladesh at Dharmsala in a day-night game but will now play a day match starting 10.30 am.
Similarly, the high profile non-India game between England and Pakistan, earlier scheduled on November 12 will now be held on November 11.
Falling on November 12, Kali Puja is the second biggest Hindu festival for Bengalis after Durga Puja, and the Kolkata Police had expressed apprehension about providing adequate deployment for the game.
New Zealand's game against Bangladesh, originally scheduled as a day match for October 14 in Chennai, has been moved back and will now be held on Friday, October 13, which will be a day-night contest.
Australia will meet South Africa a day earlier in Lucknow on October 12.
All the venues for the changed matches remain same.
TICKETS SALE
The tickets will go on sale from August 25 with fans having the option to book their seats for all non-India warm up and non-India event matches.
For India matches, tickets will be available from August 30 to September 3 and for the semifinals and the final, the fans can book tickets on September 15.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
