ICC ODI World Cup 2023: Has the Opening Ceremony been called off, or still on? Here's what we know

With days left for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 all set to take place in India. With the warm-up games completed with many getting washed out due to rain, fans are waiting for the games to begin on October 5. Many cricket enthusiasts were also eagerly waiting for the glitz and glam affair with Bollywood stars and musicians to make a great impact during the opening ceremony of the games.

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However, reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to cancel the grand opening ceremony initially planned. While it's been widely reported, OTTPlay has not independently verified this information. There has also not been an official announcement from the BCCI regarding this matter, so fans can still hold out hope.

Numerous reports indicate that, despite prior preparations for an elaborate and opulent opening ceremony, the mega event will proceed without one. 

The ceremony was originally scheduled for October 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, featuring a star-studded lineup that included Ranveer Singh, Arijit Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, Shreya Ghoshal, and Asha Bhosle, accompanied by fireworks and a laser show.

However, the Captains' Day event, which was to follow the opening ceremony, remains on schedule according to these reports. All 10 captains of the participating teams, including Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, are expected to attend the event, which will be followed by a laser display.

ICC World Cup 2023: Captains of the participating teams

India: Rohit Sharma

Pakistan: Babar Azam

England: Jos Buttler

Australia: Pat Cummins

New Zealand: Kane Williamson

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan

Netherlands: Scott Edwards

South Africa: Temba Bavuma

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi

There are also reports that indicate that the BCCI is contemplating holding a special event before the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan on October 14. Additionally, the BCCI is said to be considering hosting a closing ceremony on the final day of the tournament, which falls on Sunday, November 19, in Ahmedabad.

India will commence their World Cup campaign on Sunday, October 8, facing Australia in Chennai. With a strong and in-form squad plus the advantage of playing on home soil, India is widely expected to make a strong bid for the title and potentially break their ICC title drought, which has persisted since their Champions Trophy victory in 2013.

All Squads:

India Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.

Afghanistan Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.

Australia Squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.

Bangladesh Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

England Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

Netherlands Squad: Scott Edwards (c), Max O'Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.

New Zealand Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.

Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.

South Africa Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.

Sri Lanka Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha