Dubai: Eden Gardens, the iconic cricket stadium of Kolkata, has been largely ‘‘spared’’ of the wrath of super cyclone Amphan which ravaged the eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Orissia on Wednesday night.
Speaking to the local media, a relieved Avishek Dalmiya, president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) said: ‘‘Looking at the scale of disaster which has taken place across the state, it’s natural for some damages to have occurred. But prima facie, we don’t think there’s any major damage to the Eden. However, we cannot take any chances and consult our structural engineer to look into the issues. If needed, we will implement whatever suggestion we get from the technical persons.’’
Elaborating on the areas that needed attention, Dalmiya said: ‘‘The mannual scoreboard at D block has to be looked into. Besides, few fibresheets above a couple of blocks also need minor repairs, while glass panes of two corporate boxes need to be replaced,’’
The pitch and the outfield areas of the Eden, which is located next to the Ganges river on the fringes of the city, remained unaffected. The CAB administration wants to take up the restoration and finish the repairs at the earliest.
There are, fortunately, no fixtures lined up in immediate future with the Indian Premier League being postponed indefinitely due to the nationwide lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic. The Eden, around this time of the year, acts as the homeground for Kolkata Knight Riders.
