Cricket Controversy: Political Battlefield Between Kolkata and Gujarat

The West Bengal government has lashed out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to shift the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff and final matches from Kolkata to Gujarat, suggesting that political motives were at play.

State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, in a statement, argued that despite the BCCI presenting satellite data predicting rain in Kolkata, the decision to relocate the matches may have been politically motivated, sidelining Bengal's sporting spirit.

Biswas emphasized that cricket enthusiasts in Kolkata have been unjustly deprived of witnessing the significant event at Eden Gardens. He questioned the meteorological forecasts' reliability, alleging a deliberate agenda against West Bengal in favor of Gujarat.

(With inputs from agencies.)