The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the warm-up match between Pakistan and New Zealand ahead of the ICC Men's World Cup 2023 match will be played behind closed doors.

The warm-up match between Pakistan and New Zealand ahead of the ICC Men's World Cup 2023 match will be played behind closed doors, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed.

This decision comes in response to recommendations from local security authorities in Hyderabad, the scheduled venue for the match, which coincides with the ongoing festivals in the region.

The simultaneous celebration of these festivals is expected to attract large crowds, so the game will have to be played behind closed doors as a precautionary measure.

"The warm-up match for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 between New Zealand and Pakistan, scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on September 29, will now take place behind closed doors on the advice of local security authorities," the BCCI said in a statement.

“The match in Hyderabad coincides with festivals on the day and large crowds are expected across the city. “Spectators who purchased tickets for the game will receive a full refund.”

India and Pakistan have suspended bilateral cricket due to poor political relations between the neighbors and only play each other in multi-team competitions.

Pakistan will play another warm-up match against Australia on October 3 and will begin their bid for a second 50-overs World Cup title against the Netherlands three days later.

The warm-up games for the tournament will end on October 3rd, just before the tournament itself begins with the first game on October 5th. Pakistan's debut match in the tournament will be against the Netherlands on October 6.

Planning for the 2023 World Cup has encountered challenges due to festivals that draw large crowds. Several games had to be postponed after the original tournament schedule was announced due to safety concerns regarding clashes with public festivals.

Notably, the much-anticipated match between India and Pakistan, initially scheduled for October 15 in Ahmedabad, was postponed to October 14 to avoid conflict with the start of Navratri, a nine-day annual festival in Gujarat.