Swift shift: Mumbai team head to Kolkata to play Haryana

Representation pic

Ajinkya Rahane & Co were supposed to leave for Lahli on Wednesday morning for the Ranji Trophy quarter-final between defending champions Mumbai and Haryana starting on Saturday. However, after receiving a message from BCCI on Tuesday night, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had to change plans, and make new flight and hotel bookings as the crucial game was shifted to Kolkata, a neutral venue. The Mumbai team left for Kolkata on Wednesday evening.

"We received an email from the BCCI around 11.30pm on Tuesday, mentioning that the match has shifted to Kolkata due to unavoidable circumstances," MCA secretary Abhay Hadap told mid-day on Wednesday. Haryana Cricket Association's Bansi Lal Stadium has hosted few first-class games this season and it is not known why BCCI shifted the game to the Eden Gardens in Kolkata with few days remaining to prepare a new pitch.

When asked about the challenges in preparing pitch in Kolkata, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) head curator Sujan Mukherjee, who is in Rajkot preparing a pitch for the Saurashtra versus Gujarat quarter-final match, said: "We were informed on Tuesday evening. Our wicket is ready. We always keep three-four wickets ready for the match. "I don't know the reason for the change in venue. We were just asked whether it is possible to play at the Eden Gardens or not, I said yes. Then I spoke to our [CAB] president Snehashish Ganguly, who said: ‘okay.' "Mukherjee added: "It will be a good pitch for both batsmen and bowlers."