Assam-Jharkhand Ranji match shifted to Ranchi

The Group C Ranji Trophy clash between Assam and Jharkhand has been shifted out of Guwahati after it became the epicentre of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

CHENNAI : The Group C Ranji Trophy clash between Assam and Jharkhand has been shifted out of Guwahati after it became the epicentre of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The second-round match was scheduled to begin at the ACA Stadium, Barsapara in Guwahati from December 17. The match, however, will now be held at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.

“The match has been shifted to Ranchi. A four-day U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy match between Jharkhand and Mumbai though began at the venue on Friday but we have another surface ready for the Ranji match,” a Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) official confirmed to this daily.Jharkhand, who defeated Tripura in their Ranji Trophy clash on Thursday, will fly to Kolkata from Agartala on Saturday. “We are in Agartala and will board a flight for Kolkata on Saturday,” said a Jharkhand team support staff. The team will now head for Ranchi from Kolkata given the change in venue, he added.   

Having not played an ODI since August, Team India had a three-hour practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday as part of their preparations for the first match against West Indies. (from left) Opener KL Rahul after his batting session at the nets, Kedar Jadhav prepares to bowl, Rohit Sharma is all eyes during training, Rishabh Pant sprints during the warm-up | Ashwin Prasath

More than 12 matches including Ranji Trophy, U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy and U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy ties are scheduled in Assam and neighbouring states this month. However, all these matches are expected to be moved out or rescheduled because of the violent protests and curfew. Meanwhile, BCCI general manager, Cricket Operations, Saba Karim said that they are still working on the issue. “We are still working on it. Nothing has been finalised yet and a decision will be made soon,” said Karim on scheduled matches going ahead. 

Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has already requested the BCCI to reschedule a Cooch Behar Trophy match between Assam and Odisha in Nagaon slated to begin on Friday. In another development, the Services Ranji team and under-19 cricketers from Odisha, who were stuck in Guwahati, left for their respective places on Friday. 

Odisha U-23 team to fly out
Odisha under-23 cricketers, who on Friday defeated Meghalaya by 325 runs in their Col CK Nayudu Trophy clash in Mangaldai, around 70km from Gu­w­ahati, will leave for Bhubanes­war on Saturday morning. The match was probably the only sporting activity which got completed in the state amidst violent protests.  “Everything went well. Local administration along with police helped us in smooth conduct of the ma­tch.

We’ll help these cricketers to reach Guwahati airport in the morning,” Sambhu Nath Deb, Mangaldai Sports Association treasurer and chief coordinator of the match told this daily. “Our air tickets are confi­rmed now. Security personnel will escort us to Guwahati airport from where we will fly out for Bhubaneswar in the morning,” a relieved Odisha team ma­nager Shishir Kumar Patel said. “We did not face any issue he­re but parents of these children were a bit worried beca­us­e of the unrest in the state.”