The Pakistan cricket team could see its third match of the 2023 ODI World Cup being rescheduled to a different date after Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) reportedly informed ICC about the concerns raised by local security agencies for the team’s clash with England on November 12 which coincides with Kali Puja.
A large police deployment is needed to maintain security during Kali Puja as it’s the second biggest festival in West Bengal with reportedly thousands of local clubs organising festivities.
A six-member ICC team on Saturday visited the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to take stock of preparations for the marquee event. The venue has been allotted five matches including India vs South Africa on November 5 and second semifinal on November 16 for the world cup.
Officially though CAB chief Snehasish Ganguly has denied making any request for a schedule change.
However, news agency PTI quoted an unnamed CAB official as claiming that the ICC and BCCI have been informed of the security concerns.
“Kolkata Police has cited concerns to provide security for the match slated on Diwali. We have informed the ICC and BCCI to reschedule it and if does not happen we would inform this to the the chief minister,” a senior CAB office-bearer, who was part of the meeting with the 17-member ICC and BCCI inspection team, was quoted as saying by PTI.
The India vs Pakistan clash in Ahmedabad is set to be rescheduled to October 14 instead of the original date of October 15th after local police told BCCI it will be difficult to provide security for the match since it also happens to be the first day of Navaratri.
A second Pakistan match of the world cup, against Sri Lanka on October 12, is also set to be moved a couple of days ahead.
CAB chief Ganguly gave a guarded response, while talking to reporters after the ICC’s inspection and meeting that lasted for more than three hours.
“We have not yet got anything officially from the Kolkata Police,” Snehasish, elder brother of former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly, said.
“Unless we get something officially, we can’t inform the ICC. Security issue is being taken care of by the Kolkata Police. That is not our look-out.”
“As I said, we have not got anything officially, if we get anything we will inform ICC.”
The CAB top-brass, incidentally, had gone to meet Kolkata Police officials at their Lalbazaar headquarters a couple of days back.
Snehasish however termed it a “courtesy call”.
“We went to Kolkata Police for a courtesy visit two days ago, we had a discussion with them. We schedule, plan and how we are preparing the stadium were discussed,” he said.
However with multiple changes in schedule, the question that has cropped up is that whether the local security agencies were taken into confidence while chalking up the dates for the World Cup.
The CAB is learnt to have requested for a rescheduling of the fixture in a letter to BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Friday.
With PTI Inputs
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