<p>The prestigious ICC men's cricket World Cup trophy made a pit stop at the world's tallest Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Narmada district on Tuesday ahead of the opening match to be played in Ahmedabad on October 5.</p>.<p>Ahmedabad is preparing to host the opening match of the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium.</p>.<p>'The World Cup trophy made a stop at the iconic Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar as part of its global tour, showcasing its journey through 18 countries, including a ground-breaking trip to space,' the Statue of Unity Authority said in a release.</p>.Interactive | ICC World Cup 2023 preview in numbers.<p>The trophy's visit to this remarkable location underscores the universal appeal of cricket and its ability to unite people worldwide, it stated.</p>.<p>As cricket fans have started reaching Ahmedabad, the timings of the city metro train services will be extended by three hours and the purchase of tickets for the return journey has been eased for five days, officials said.</p>.<p>The Narendra Modi Stadium will host the opening WC match between the last edition's finalists England and New Zealand on October 5. It is also the venue for matches to be played on October 14, November 4, and 10, and the WC final scheduled on November 19.</p>.<p>Presently, metro train services in Ahmedabad are operated between 6:20 AM and 10:00 PM at a frequency of 12 minutes throughout the day, a Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) release said.</p>.<p>In view of the World Cup cricket matches, metro trains will be available from 6:20 am till 1 am on the five days when the matches will be hosted, it said.</p>.<p>To avoid the rush in the purchase of tickets for the return journey from the Motera Stadium metro station, the GMRC has made available the facility of paper tickets which can be purchased at any time in the day for the return journey at Rs 50 per person for journey up to any station after 10 pm on the match days, according to GMRC.</p>.<p>On these five days when matches will be played, the entry gates at all the stations except Motera and Sabarmati will be closed at 10 pm, and only exit gates will remain open, it said.</p>.<p>Entry gates will remain open at Motera and Sabarmati metro stations till the departure of the last train from Motera at 1 am, it said. </p>
<p>The prestigious ICC men's cricket World Cup trophy made a pit stop at the world's tallest Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Narmada district on Tuesday ahead of the opening match to be played in Ahmedabad on October 5.</p>.<p>Ahmedabad is preparing to host the opening match of the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium.</p>.<p>'The World Cup trophy made a stop at the iconic Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar as part of its global tour, showcasing its journey through 18 countries, including a ground-breaking trip to space,' the Statue of Unity Authority said in a release.</p>.Interactive | ICC World Cup 2023 preview in numbers.<p>The trophy's visit to this remarkable location underscores the universal appeal of cricket and its ability to unite people worldwide, it stated.</p>.<p>As cricket fans have started reaching Ahmedabad, the timings of the city metro train services will be extended by three hours and the purchase of tickets for the return journey has been eased for five days, officials said.</p>.<p>The Narendra Modi Stadium will host the opening WC match between the last edition's finalists England and New Zealand on October 5. It is also the venue for matches to be played on October 14, November 4, and 10, and the WC final scheduled on November 19.</p>.<p>Presently, metro train services in Ahmedabad are operated between 6:20 AM and 10:00 PM at a frequency of 12 minutes throughout the day, a Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) release said.</p>.<p>In view of the World Cup cricket matches, metro trains will be available from 6:20 am till 1 am on the five days when the matches will be hosted, it said.</p>.<p>To avoid the rush in the purchase of tickets for the return journey from the Motera Stadium metro station, the GMRC has made available the facility of paper tickets which can be purchased at any time in the day for the return journey at Rs 50 per person for journey up to any station after 10 pm on the match days, according to GMRC.</p>.<p>On these five days when matches will be played, the entry gates at all the stations except Motera and Sabarmati will be closed at 10 pm, and only exit gates will remain open, it said.</p>.<p>Entry gates will remain open at Motera and Sabarmati metro stations till the departure of the last train from Motera at 1 am, it said. </p>