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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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
