Cricket enthusiasts in Pune will have the opportunity to get up close to the ICC World Cup trophy and even take selfies with it on September 26. The trophy will be exhibited at the Agriculture College Ground in Shivajinagar. Rohit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA and the president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), made the announcement on Monday.
"Before the display, a grand parade of the trophy will be organised, with the participation of a few international cricketers. The parade will begin at 1pm at the JW Marriott Hotel. It will pass through Senapati Bapat Road, Symbiosis College, BMCC College, Fergusson College Road, and then reach the Agriculture College, where the trophy will be on display from 4pm to 6pm," said Pawar.
List of matches to be played in Pune:
1) India vs Bangladesh (October 19)
2) Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka (October 30)
3) New Zealand vs South Africa (November 1)
4) England vs Netherlands (November 8)
5) Australia vs Bangladesh (November 11)
Pune's prolonged wait for a World Cup match ends
Pune's long-awaited moment to host World Cup matches has finally arrived after nearly 27 years. The city had the honour of hosting a World Cup match back in 1996 at the Nehru Stadium, situated in Swargate. This match took place on February 29, 1996, between Kenya and West Indies, with Kenya emerging victorious by a margin of 73 runs. Later in 2011, the MCA stadium was slated to host the World Cup, but it missed the opportunity due to construction delays.
