What is 'Bashi Phool' Controversy at CAB? Sourav Ganguly Gives Statement, CCTV Recording Demanded!

Amid the ongoing heat in Bengal due to scorching summer, the temperature at the centre of Bengal cricket has risen due to an unexpected incident.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is at the centre of it as an alleged disrespect towards a legend of Bengal cricket, which has created a storm.

What is the Incident?

The incident goes back a couple of days. On May 31, Eden Gardens celebrated the birth anniversary of Pankaj Roy, a legendary cricketer of Bengal who also played for India with distinction. During the memorial celebration, CAB officials forgot to invite Pankaj Roy's son Pranab Roy, who was also an India player and captained Bengal.

A report was published by ABP Live Bangla, who alleged the usage of 'Bashi Phool' (stale flower) in the Pankaj Roy memorial. The allegations were that CAB used the same flowers from the Jagmohan Dalmiya memorial, which happened a day before. Even the report also claimed that the same garland, which was used in Dalmiya's homage, was used for Roy as well.

Sourav Ganguly's Statement

CAB president Sourav Ganguly emphatically denied the allegations, and after Eden Gardens won the 'Best Pitch Award' in the IPL 2026, he released a statement via CAB on the same night.

"Amidst all the fake and planted stories around "Bashi Phool", Eden Gardens has been awarded the best pitch and ground of the IPL season. At least the cricket was fresh. Cricket continues to prevail at Eden. It is not a place for those who seek to politicise matters and tarnish the reputation of this esteemed institution. The association is bigger than any individual. Hope a few people are paying attention," a statement from Ganguly was released by CAB.

Pranab Roy demands CCTV Footage

As per the latest reports, Pranab Roy has demanded the CCTV footage of the respective area at the Eden Gardens. He wrote a letter to CAB secretary Bablu Koley, demanding the footage from 6 pm on May 30 to the same time on May 31.

MyKhel tried to contact with Pranab Roy for the latest development, but the calls remained unanswered despite a couple of attempts.