Eden Gardens may lose hosting rights of WorldT20 final
Kolkata: The washed out T20 game between India and South Africa seems to have finally woken up the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) from their slumber. Kolkata’s Eden Gardens is slated to host the World T20 final in less than six months, and Thursday’s incident showed the iconic stadium in poor light as questions were raised on its drainage system.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who is CAB’s president designate, seemed deeply concerned and was seen talking to chief pitch curator Prabir Mukherjee’s assistant Shankarshan Pal and the groundsmen.
“He was telling them to get the ground ready for the upcoming Ranji Trophy match (against Rajasthan) from October 15,” a CAB official said.
Eden Gardens curator Mukherjee, who was squarely blamed for the abandonment of the match, was adamant not to show his face again, while the CAB on Friday softened its stance on the octogenarian.
CAB treasurer Biswarup Dey, who earlier demanded the curator’s resignation, on Friday made a U-turn and said he would speak to the curator personally, apparently to convince him to return to his job.
“Such things happen in everyone’s life. Sometimes even a top class doctor fails to get a patient healed. He is such an experienced person and we must show some respect to him. I will speak to him personally. It was a learning experience for us,” Dey said.
Asked whether the Eden is in danger of losing the World Twenty20 final, Dey quipped: “If unlawful activities rise in New Delhi then will the Capital be shifted?”
Ground committee chairman Debabrata Das, however, blamed curator Mukhejee for the failure to host the match on Thursday.
Claiming that the veteran curator did not listen to Ganguly, he said: “Ganguly called him thrice requesting him to cover the ground way ahead of the the rainfall but he did not pay any heed.
“‘I know the ground better than anyone else’, Prabirda told us.” The third and final T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of wet outfield due to passing showers in the afternoon. (PTI)
