Cricket Association of Bengal eager to host India-England Test in 2021 to compensate for cancelled South Africa ODI

The Cricket Association of Bengal will write to the BCCI to award it a match during England’s Test tour in 2021 as a compensation for the cancelled South Africa ODI, its president Avishek Dalmiya said on Sunday. The second and third ODIs against South Africa in Lucknow and Kolkata on 15 and 18 March respectively were cancelled as the COVID-19 pandemic brought to halt all the sporting events across the world. “We will request BCCI to plan the Test series (against England) in such a way that the two associations get compensated for the two abandoned matches,” Dalmiya told PTI. “We would be looking forward to the BCCI to negotiate with the England Cricket Board because they are the ones to tour India in early 2021, that’s the next home series.” The next home series is from January to March 2021 when England are scheduled to come for a full tour. England’s limited-overs tour of India comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is was originally scheduled from September-October this year but has now been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dalmiya further said the CAB would write separately to request for reimbursement of the losses incurred due to the abandonment of the South Africa ODI match. “We will send a request sympathetically to reimburse the expenses incurred for printing of match tickets, sale of tickets, getting the venue ready. The calculations are being worked out,” he said. He also backed BCCI president Sourav Ganguly as the next chairman of International Cricket Council. “It’s important that someone from India becomes the chairman. The global cricket is going through a difficult phase due to the pandemic. A strong ICC is the need of the hour in order to protect the game.” Dalmiya said BCCI would play a key role with two World Cups (T20 in 2021 and ODI in 2023) lined up in the country in next two years. “I think that a strong leadership is the need of the hour. Along with the telecast right holders, the sponsors are one of the important stakeholders. So it’s very important that India plays a crucial role as far as the ICC is concerned. “Then there are tax issues, which needs to be resolved between the ICC and the BCCI. I don’t know how or what the thoughts of the BCCI is. I’m sure that they would also be considering every aspect of it,” he added.