Chinnaswamy Stadium

Sharad Pawar had to do the courteous job of informing the West Bengal Chief Minister yesterday that the India vs. England match that was scheduled to be held on the 27^th of February would not be held in the Eden Gardens cannot be re shifted to Kolkata. This happened after the Chief Minister had requested ICC president to consider an extension in the deadline for the final speculation of the Eden to the 7^th of February, by which time the State PWD minister claimed the work would have been completed.

However with about eight members of the ICC panel against this request, the honored agricultural minister of India had to personally call the CM to convey the sad news.

Thus the BCCI had a mammothian task of shifting the very same match to a different location which would not only be comfortable for the cricketers but would also be in sync with all the logistics that needed to be taken care of.

The BCCI with all its required rationality recommended Bengaluru as the makeshift location for the match on the very same day. This suggestion was consequently accepted by the ICC and it is now confirmed that Bengaluru would be hosting the February 27^th match.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “This decision now clarifies and gives us certainty over the fixture. We can now work with our various partners and stakeholders to make sure that match – along with the rest of the tournament – is all it should be.”

Bengaluru was chosen as a preferred location for its easy accessibility, World-class ground and training facility, availability of plenty of hotels to house the various crew that would be travelling throughout the World Cup.

This decision has rather been a loss to the fans who would have loved to watch the all important India – England group match, which in all probability would have been one of the three most important matches of the Group B.

But what’s one’s loss is another’s gain. What Eden has lost, the Chinnaswamy shall enjoy. Bengaluru initially was scheduled to host only one India match which was against Ireland. However now it shall be hosting two of India’s matches.

The cloud of uncertainty over the remaining three matches in the Eden has still not been removed. The ICC has scheduled an inspection of the ground on the 7^th of February, by when all the major work should have been completed, lest the much revered Eden Gardens shall lose the opportunity to host a single match in the tournament.

One just hopes that the construction work which at the moment is moving at snail-pace is completed in time to save Eden whatever little pride its pride.

Tags: Bangalore, BCCI, Bengaluru, Chinnaswamy Stadium, Cricket, Eden Gardens, England, Haroon Lorgat, ICC, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India, Kolkata, World Cup