“Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time,” said the ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.
The ICC did not say where the game would be played and said it would face a ‘challenge” to relocate the game because of last-minute ticketing and travel requirements. Three other fixtures of the World Cup, which runs from February 19 to April 2 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, are also scheduled to take place at the ground.
The decision was a major blow for India’s image and the estimated 64,000 spectators who were expected to pack the legendary stadium, which has been undergoing a major renovation.
“All venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches,” said Lorgat. “We had been understanding and had provided extensions to the deadline dates but unfortunately we are now at a point where we must carefully manage our risks.”
The ICC said concerns were mainly over “cricket operations, media, broadcast and sponsorship facilities” that were not finalised or confirmed by the venue.
Recently, fears had grown over Edens Gardens as it remained a chaotic scene of cranes, rubble, dust and bare concrete.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.
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