ICC asks BCCI to adjust IPL match to its Kolkata meet… snubbed

NEW DELHI: The BCCI has turned down the ICC’S request of rescheduling an IPL match in Kolkata during its annual board meeting in Kolkata from April 22-26. It’s after a long time that the ICC is having its high-profile meeting in Kolkata and since it is overlapping with the cash-rich league, the world body wanted BCCI to ensure that its members could at least watch a home match of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

“Yes, there was a specific request from ICC as they wanted it’s various member delegates to watch an IPL game. However, between April 22 and 26, there are no home games of KKR at Eden Gardens,” said a senior BCCI official.

KKR is playing a home match on April 16 and their next home game is on May 3. Between April 22 to 26, matches will be held in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Indore, Bengaluru and Jaipur. “If we have to reschedule it, the entire itinerary would be in a disarray. So we told them that it’s not possible to have an IPL match rescheduled,” the official added.

Meanwhile, it was also known that uncertainty looms large over PCB chairman Najam Sethi’s attendance. The meeting is being held in Kolkata and not in Mumbai specifically to avoid any political protest over the PCB delegate attending a meeting in India. However, Sethi may end up not getting the Indian visa in the prevailing volatile situation. “If Sethi doesn’t get visa, it might well be an indicator about the chances of Pakistan team procuring visa during the Asia Cup in September,” the official said.