ODI World Cup 2023 - Cricket Association Of Bengal Has No Role In Ticket Row: Sourav Ganguly

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Thursday strongly came out in support his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly, saying that the state body has "no role" in the ticket controversy for Sunday's India-South Africa World Cup clash in Kolkata. Acting on a complaint lodged at the Maidan Police Station from a fan, the Kolkata Police on Wednesday summoned Snehasish following allegations that the CAB had "purposefully put aside a large chunk of the tickets meant for the general public, making those available to the black marketers for the purpose of their personal gains." Allegations were also made against the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and online portal BookMyShow.

"Police can only get hold of the culprit. CAB has no role in this. Eden has a capacity of 67,000 and the demand is for more than one lakh," Ganguly said during a visit to the Eden Gardens.

"It happens everywhere, the demand for tickets is so, you can't beat it. Nobody has control over it, only the Police can stop this," added Ganguly who had a meeting with his elder brother for about two hours.

Asked why the CAB president was dragged in the controversy, Ganguly said: "It's unfortunate. CAB can't sell tickets. They don't have Box Office once the ticket is out from Eden Gardens, nobody knows where and for what price it is sold." Some CAB life members, who could not get tickets, were also not pleased. CAB has about 11,000 members which include life, associate and annual.

"Nowhere, it's written in the CAB constitution that a life member will get tickets for life. The CAB in fact has given 3000 tickets," said the former India captain.

The lowest price of the India-South Africa tickets is of Rs 900 which are being sold