Ashish Shelar, the honorary treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has confirmed that India will not be sporting an alternate match kit during their highly anticipated ICC World Cup clash against Pakistan on October 14. The fierce rivals, India and Pakistan, are set to face off at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Addressing recent media reports suggesting that India might wear an alternative kit for the match, Shelar stated emphatically, “We categorically dismiss the media reports that Team India will be donning an alternative match kit against Pakistan. These reports are absolutely baseless and a work of someone’s imagination. The Men in Blue will sport India’s traditional colors – Blue at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023,” he asserted.
It’s worth noting that India did indeed don an alternate kit during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The decision was made as both England and India wore blue-colored kits in the tournament. To avoid a clash, Team India opted for a darker shade of blue with orange sleeves for their match against England.
India has made a strong start in the World Cup 2023, securing a victory over Australia in their opening match. While Virat Kohli and KL Rahul showcased their batting prowess in the game, there were also some contentious moments.
Renowned social media influencer and serial pitch invader Daniel Jarvis, also known as Jarvo, was apprehended by stadium security at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. He had entered the ground wearing India’s blue jersey before the start of India’s World Cup match against Australia on Sunday.
The ICC promptly banned Jarvo from attending any further matches in the tournament. However, questions arose regarding how he gained access to the VIP area and breached multiple layers of security to enter the Field of Play (FOP).
When inquired about the security breach, an ICC spokesperson stated, “The individual concerned has been banned from attending any further games at the event, and the matter is in the hands of the Indian authorities.”
This incident marks the fourth time that the Englishman, considered a nuisance at venues across the UK, has managed to breach security during matches involving India. Initially startling the Indian team, security officers swiftly removed him from the venue, although Virat Kohli was visibly displeased with the intrusion.
Jarvo had previously been banned from English grounds after repeatedly exposing weaknesses in England’s security system by entering the playing arena at his discretion during the 2021 series against India.