Daily Times

LAHORE: The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour has begun in spectacular style, launching 120,000 feet above the Earth, before landing in the largest cricket stadium in the world, India’s Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The feat was achieved with the World Cup Trophy attached to a bespoke stratospheric balloon. The stunning shots of the famous silverware sitting on the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere were captured with 4K cameras. The balloon crossed more than 99.5% of the Earth’s atmosphere with the temperature of -65°C at the peak altitude. The space flight sets the stage for the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour ever, counting down to the World Cup being played across India in October and November. Through a varied programme of activations, the Trophy Tour aims to give one million fans the chance to connect with the prized silverware ahead of the highly anticipated global event, and will visit locations in 18 countries across five continents.

Embarking on its first full-scale global tour since 2019, the Trophy Tour will recreate the sense of occasion and carnival-like atmosphere synonymous with Cricket World Cups through a series of large-scale activations at some of the world’s most iconic destinations. In addition to visiting over 20 cities in India and other participating countries, the Trophy will also tour a number of emerging nations such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria, Uganda, France, Italy and the United States, enabling new and existing fans to get a glimpse of world cricket’s ultimate prize.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement on Monday: “The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour is an important milestone in the countdown to what will be the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ever. This Tour will see the iconic silverware meet heads of states, launch community initiatives and support cricket development programmes in addition to visiting some of the most iconic landmarks around the globe. Cricket has more than a billion fans and we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to get up close to this famous trophy that has been held aloft by some of the greatest legends of our sport.”

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour Schedule:

June 27 – July 14: India

July 15 – 16: New Zealand

July 17 – 18: Australia

July 19 – 21: Papua New Guinea

July 22 – 24: India

July 25 – 27: USA

July 28 – 30: West Indies

July 31 – August 4: Pakistan

August 5 – 6: Sri Lanka

August 7 – 9: Bangladesh

August 10 – 11: Kuwait

August 12 – 13: Bahrain

August 14 – 15: India

August 16 – 18: Italy

August 19 – 20: France

August 21 – 24: England

August 25 – 26: Malaysia

August 27 – 28: Uganda

August 29 – 30: Nigeria

August 31 – September 3: South Africa

From September 4: India.