CAB turns to political power to save Eden
Kolkata, Jan. 29: The International Cricket Council decision to snip away Eden Garden’s opening World Cup match involving India on Feb. 27 appears to be taking a political hue. Less than 24 hours after the ICC rejected BCCI’s appeal at the behest of Cricket Association of Bengal to reconsider the decision, it is learnt that West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee spoke to ICC president Sharad Pawar over phone late on Saturday night and was given assurance that the CAB would be given another deadline until Feb.7 in its effort to win back the lost match.
In another development, CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya also got in touch with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and even visited the latter’s house in the evening on Saturday in a concerted bid to win back the game.
“An attempt is being made from all quarters. Let’s see what happens,” Dalmiya told reporters.
Eden’s fate was all but sealed earlier in the morning when ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat informed BCCI via e-mail that the sport’s parent body would by no means change its stance.
Now the late arrival of Mukherjee on the scene has inspired hopes among the CAB officials whose high-handedness was one of the reasons for the ICC decision.
But it would still require a miracle from heavyweight politicians to restore Eden’s lost pride.
Chances of Kolkata hosting the India-Netherlands encounter is slim despite the no-objection from DDCA as logistical problems are foreseen. But there also appears to be a miscommunication of sorts between the top ICC officials themselves.
According to agency reports, ICC president Sharad Pawar stated Eden’s fate as World Cup venue would be decided on Sunday. Pawar was quoted as saying.
“Fans from other countries would be also coming to see the World Cup and they would have made their travel plans much in advance. Any last-minute change (of venue) would hassle them.”
Importantly, the above statements of Pawar come after Lorgat dismissed possibility of the India-England match coming back to Eden. ICC media officer James Fitzgerald when contacted, said, “I’m not quite sure about what Mr Pawar has said. All I can say is that there will be another round of inspection of Eden for the remaining three matches very soon. The date hasn’t been finalised though.”
Pic Caption:
Debris being cleared from the Eden premises on Saturday.
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