The International Cricket Council (ICC), World's cricket governing body on Monday announced that ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour 2023 has been launched on a stratospheric scale.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Trophy was launched into the stratosphere i.e., 120,000 feet above the earth.

Later, the trophy landed at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.

According to the official statement, the launch was possible after the "trophy was attached to a bespoke stratospheric balloon."

"The 2023 edition of the Trophy Tour will be the biggest by far, giving the fans a chance to connect with the coveted piece of silverware in various countries and cities around the globe," the statement added.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to start on June 27 till September 4, and this time the match is being hosted in India,

Before it reaches the host country, India, the trophy will travel to 18 countries which are Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, USA, Nigeria, Uganda, France, Italy, the United States of America.

The statement further added, "Through innovative activations and events in different countries, the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour will provide a chance to one million fans to have their own personal interactions with the coveted piece of silverware."

Speaking on the occasion, the ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, "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.”

Meanwhile BCCI Secretary Jay Shah while speaking on the same, said, "Cricket unites India like no other sport and excitement is building across the country as we prepare to host the 10 best teams in the world over six weeks of heart-stopping cricket.

“As we countdown to the World Cup, the Trophy Tour is a fantastic chance for fans to be part of the event wherever they are. The Tour will travel extensively across India and seek to inspire communities to share the excitement of cricket’s greatest spectacle, while providing an opportunity to showcase iconic venues, cities and landmarks throughout the country.”

 Below is the schedule of the Trophy Tour:

27 June – 14 July: India

15 – 16 July: New Zealand

17 – 18 July: Australia

19 – 21 July: Papua New Guinea

22 – 24 July: India

25 – 27 July: USA

28 – 30 July: West Indies

31 July – 4 August: Pakistan

5 – 6 August: Sri Lanka

7 – 9 August: Bangladesh

10 – 11 August: Kuwait

12 – 13 August: Bahrain

14 – 15 August: India

16 – 18 August: Italy

19 – 20 August: France

21 – 24 August: England

25 – 26 August: Malaysia

27 – 28 August: Uganda

29 – 30 August: Nigeria

31 August – 3 September: South Africa

From 4 September: India

(Source-ICC)