Coronavirus in sport: Mamata unhappy with Ganguly's decision to cancel Kolkata ODI

Bengaluru, March 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is reportedly unhappy with the decision of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its president Sourav Ganguly to call off India's proposed One-day International against South Africa without taking the state government into confidence.

It may be recalled that after the first of the scheduled three ODIs in Dharamsala was washed out without a ball being bowled, the second and third ODIs slated to be held behind closed doors in Lucknow (March 15) and Kolkata (March 18) were cancelled by BCCI owing to the coronavirus scare.

"Yes, the series has been called off. IPL has been postponed and there's little sense to hold two ODIs at this stage. We need to take care of the health of players and all others at this point. Nothing else matters now," a BCCI official had told myKhel.com last week.

Ind vs SA series cancelled

However, the decision has not gone well with the firebrand West Bengal CM who publicly made her displeasure known with some very harsh words for Ganguly, who hails from the same state.

"Everything was alright with Sourav. But they should've told us a word, nothing else. When the match was scheduled to be held in Kolkata, at least the Kolkata Police should have been informed," Mamata was quoted as saying in local media.

"I'm saying this with due respect. Why wouldn't the state chief secretary or home secretary or police commissioner or someone else in the government be informed?"

"How is that if you inform us after making a decision? We aren't asking you to stop the match. But what would you've done had you been in this situation?" added Mamata.

South Africa is now expected to visit India at a later date to play a full-fledged ODI series.