Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) home game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 6 at the Eden Gardens is likely to be rescheduled as local police have refused to give security clearance due to Ram Navami festivities. The situation is further complicated after the BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's announcement of over 20,000 processions in and around West Bengal during the sacred occasion, prompting massive security arrangements.
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly confirmed after having detailed discussions with police authorities on Tuesday. "The authorities have not given the go-ahead" for the KKR vs LSG fixture. He said that the police have strongly denied providing sufficient security. Making it impossible to accommodate a crowd more than 65,000 without police protection.
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Ganguly has since intimidated the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the situation, with still some time available to make a final call. A similar situation also came to the fore in the last IPL season when a match on Ram Navami had to be rescheduled.
“They have categorically said they won’t be able to provide adequate security. If there’s no police protection, accommodating a 65,000-strong crowd becomes impossible,” Snehasish said.
“We have informed the BCCI, and there is still time to take a final call. Even last year, a scheduled IPL match on Ram Navami had to be rescheduled.”
CAB President Snehasish Ganguly opens up about the IPL 2025 opening game
For the unversed, the IPL 2025 opener is to take place between KKR vs RCB at the Eden Gardens on March 22. Speculations are rife that the opening ceremony will last about 35 minutes, with performances from Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, and Actress Disha Patani. ICC Chairman Jay Shah, BCCI President Roger Binny, and other prominent dignitaries are set to attend the mega event. CAB President Ganguly said that the demand for tickets is huge, as Kolkata is set to host an IPL opener after a long time.
Also Read: IPL 2025: "Sleep At 10, Change Diet": Prithvi Shaw receives blunt message to revive career
“It’s a marquee match with full demand for tickets. Eden Gardens is set to host an opening ceremony after a long time,” Snehasish said.
