World Cup Opening Ceremony
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has canceled the opening ceremony of the ICC ODI World Cup. This marks the first edition of the tournament to not have an official opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony was scheduled at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5 before the opening game between defending champion England and New Zealand. However, they called it off without providing any reason.
It is important to note that neither the BCCI nor the International Cricket Council has released an official statement regarding the cancellation of the ceremony. The Captains’ Day event remains scheduled.
The BCCI is considering organizing a function in Ahmedabad ahead of the blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan, a highlight of the tournament scheduled for October 14 at the Ahmedabad venue.
The opening ceremony had supposed to feature celebrated Bollywood personalities including Ranveer Singh, Arijit Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, Shreyas Ghoshal, and Asha Bhosle.
They also planned fireworks and a laser display to herald the commencement of the World Cup in India.
World Bank Forecasts 1.7% GDP Growth For Pakistan In Fiscal Year 2024
Meanwhile, the World Bank has projected Pakistan’s real GDP growth to recover to 1.7% in fiscal year 2024 and 2.4% in fiscal year 2025. However, it anticipates annual inflation to remain high at 26.5% in the ongoing fiscal year.
The World Bank stated in its latest report, “Pakistan Development Update: Restoring Fiscal Sustainability,” that real GDP growth is expected to rebound to 1.7% in FY24 and 2.4% in FY25, assuming robust implementation of the IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA), new external financing, and continued fiscal restraint.
