CAB wants to host India-England tie to make up for axed SA ODI

Kolkata: The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will write to the BCCI to allow them to host a match during England's tour next year in compensation for the cancelled South Africa ODI in March, its President Avishek Dalmiya said on Sunday.

The second and third ODIs in Lucknow and Kolkata on March 15 and 18, respectively, were cancelled as the Covid-19 pandemic spread. "We will request the BCCI to plan the series in such a manner that the two associations get compensated for the two abandoned matches," Dalmiya told IANS.

The BCCI now plans their next home series, post the pandemic, from January to March 2021 with a full England tour which will have three ODIs and as many T20Is in India. The tour was originally scheduled from September to October.

"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." Dalmiya further said they would also write separately to request for a reimbursement of the losses incurred for the South Africa 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 done," he said.