Kolkata, Aug 31 (IANS): The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Sunday announced its 15-member committee who will look after organizing the T20 World Cup matches here at Eden Gardens.
Surprisingly. the committee has only four office-bearers of CAB with president Jagmohan Dalmiya at the helm. Joint secretaries Sourav Ganguly and Subir Ganguly and treasurer Biswaroop Dey are the other members.
The rest of the team comprise ministers, and an MP and a legislator from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress. Besides ministers Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Partha Chatterjee, Arup Roy, Arup Biswas, Jawed Khan, Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury and Jyotipriyo Mallik, city mayor and state legislator Sovan Chatterjee and MP Sultan Ahmed are also in the panel.
Asked why such a decision was taken to include so many politicians, Subir Ganguly said: "Barring a few, everyone is associated with cricket and some of them are our committee members. After 28 years Eden Gardens has a chance to host a World Cup final so we need everyone's support.
"The president has decided the members and in future if we think more members can be taken."
Another joint secretary former India captain Sourav Ganguly refused to comment on the issue and only said: "The president has chosen the committee, ask him."
The cash-strapped organization on the day also said a sum totalling almost Rs.1 crore will be given as incentives and prize-money for the local league clubs. But the amounts have not been fixed yet and can be changed.
"The president has said every affiliated unit this year will get Rs.1.5 lakh and we have had this thought to boost the clubs monetarily. It will help revamp the competition in the leagues," said Subir.
Sourav too echoed the same sentiment saying:" All these moneys that will be given are for the cricketers. If prize money is higher, competition will also increase and we will get to see the quality of cricket improving."
Three new sub-committees were added for the year 2015-16 which are catering and traveling committee, observer committee and chucking review committee.
Eden Gardens is set to host the final of the T20 world cup on April 3 next year. It is also likely to organise two other matches, the dates of which are yet to be fixed.