Domestic cricket will start as and when conditions permit: Ganguly to BCCI state units
New Delhi: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has assured all state associations that domestic cricket will start as and when the situation is safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not specify the date from when the season will kick off.
Normally domestic season starts in August but the pandemic has wreaked havoc with the calender and Ganguly's letter to state associations on Thursday made it clear that the Board is yet to lock in a date.
The domestic season is now expected to begin with the Syed Musthaq Ali T20 tournament, tentatively from the third week of November.
"...the BCCI is making all efforts to ensure that domestic cricket resumes as and when the conditions permit. The health and safety of players and all other involved in domestic cricket is of utmost importance to BCCI and we are constantly monitoring all aspects," Ganguly wrote in the letter to presidents and secretaries of the its affiliated member associations.
"All members will be duly informed about the future course of action and suggestions will be taken before we resume domestic cricket."
He said the BCCI was hopeful that the Covid-19 situation will improve in the next few months and domestic cricket will be able to start in a safe environment.
The BCCI chief informed the members about India's commitments in the Future Tours Programme (FTP), including the scheduled tour of Australia later this year and playing host to England early 2021.
He said that India is set to host the T20 World Cup next year and the ODI World Cup in 2023.
"The BCCI and the Indian cricket team will continue to fulfil its FTP commitments. The senior Indian men's team will travel to Australia for its series starting in December this year, and will come back to the country for a series against England starting February next year.
"This will be followed by IPL 2021 in April," Ganguly said.
"The BCCI continues to be the host for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and the 50-over ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023." The former India captain also said that the tours of the Indian women's team are "under discussion" but did not elaborate further.
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Seven killed, three injured in separate road accidents in UP
Mainpuri/Muzaffarnagar/Deoria (UP) (PTI): Seven people were killed and three others injured in separate road accidents in Mainpuri, Muzaffarnagar and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.
All incidents took place on Tuesday night.
In Mainpuri, three persons, including a couple, were killed near the Shitala Devi Temple on Devi Road under Kotwali police circle when a pickup vehicle hit a motorcycle head-on, Superintendent of Police Ganesh Saha said.
The victims, Dharmendra Singh (50), his wife Baby (48), both residents of Ferozabad, and Sanjay Singh (40) of Tavepur village, were on the two-wheeler and were on their way to attend the cremation of a relative when the incident took place.
According to police, the pickup and a Wagon R car were attempting to overtake each other when the former went out of control and rammed into the motorcycle, killing all three riders on the spot. Police rushed to the scene and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination, Saha added.
In Muzaffarnagar's Charthawal town, a 30-year-old woman, identified as Imrana, was killed while another woman was injured after a speeding car hit them on Rajbaha Road.
Circle Officer Ravishankar said the victims were walking when the car struck them, throwing Imrana into a canal. She was declared dead by the doctors.
Following the incident, villagers staged a protest demanding action against the driver, who fled the spot without the vehicle. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.
In another incident in Deoria district, three persons were killed, and two others seriously injured when a car crashed into a tree in the Baghochghat area late Tuesday night, police said.
The accident occurred near Haji Market when a Bihar-registered Swift car coming from Pakaha went out of control and rammed into a roadside tree, leaving the vehicle badly mangled.
Police said five people were travelling in the car. Three of them died on the spot, while two injured persons were admitted to Maharshi Devaraha Baba Medical College in Deoria.
The deceased have been identified as Karan Kushwaha, a resident of Gopalganj district in Bihar, and Pintu Kumar of Dulharpur village under Phulwaria police station. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be established.
The injured have been identified as Govind Kushwaha (18) of Sisai village in Kushinagar and Bhola Srivastava alias Sonu (22). Police said the occupants had visited a relative's place in Kushinagar and were returning after attending a wedding function when the accident occurred.
Station House Officer Anil Tiwari said police had to use a gas cutter to rescue the victims trapped inside the vehicle.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further legal proceedings are underway, he added.
