KOLKATA: Eden Gardens which is considered to be one of the most iconic stadiums around the world has now got a new look as it prepares to host five matches of the ODI World Cup.
Before the renovation of Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Eden Gardens held the title of the largest venue in India with a capacity of 68,000.
It was the first stadium that hosted a World Cup final in 1987 after Lord’s hosted the first three World Cups.
The lively pitch and breezy conditions next to the Hooghly River are sure to rustle up some stunning ODI clashes, as well as a World Cup semi-final meeting.
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly talked about the opportunity of hosting five World Cup matches and told ANI, “It’s a great opportunity because the five matches of WC including Semi Final will be hosted by Eden Gardens. I think this kind of opportunity comes once in a hundred years. Previously we had two or three matches. This time we have got five important matches. We have Bangladesh and Pakistan because Bangladesh is a very good team in 50 overs format. We wil be hosting England vs Pakistan which is great because England is the defending champions. So I think all the matches are high profile and it is challenging.”
The club house, conference room, dressing room, media centre, main Hall and historic photo gallery have now got a brand-new look.
There is a wall specifically dedicated to the former players and umpires who are associated with the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). There are pictures and names of all the players who marked their presence in international cricket.
There is also a wall that holds the memories in the form of pictures of the iconic moments that took place at Eden Gardens.
CAB President Snehasish Ganguly talked about the recent developments that the stadium has undergone and said, “We have been planning this for more than one year. We worked really hard on the design. World Cup is an international event and everyone wants their stadium to look unique and different. Eden Garden is different because it’s a renowned stadium. Our corporate box in the stadium is one of the best in the country.”
“Eden Gardens has its own history. We have created a different gallery for the captain from Bengal. We also have some photos of World Cup-winning teams. Two of the most legendary cricketers of Bengal are Pankaj Roy and Sourav Ganguly, we have installed portraits of players. Then if you go to that conference room you will see Jhulan Goswani’s action portraits because she is an icon and also from Bengal,” Ganguly added.
The CAB President also went on to talk about the team that he is backing in the ongoing ODI World Cup, “I want India to play in the World Cup final. Today India officially completed 100 medals tally in the Asian Games. Sports in India is improving. This is the first time India is hosting the WC alone.” (ANI)