Kolkata, March 10: Besides West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police authorities, Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly also expressed his pleasure over Eden Gardens hosting the India-Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup on March 19 (Saturday).

Shifting of the match to Kolkata will give a boost to Mamata ahead of polls

Mamata is 'very, very happy' with the decision

Threat to dig up Eden pitch" title="India-Pak match shifted to Kolkata from Dharamsala

Shifting of the match to Kolkata will give a boost to Mamata ahead of polls

Mamata is 'very, very happy' with the decision

Threat to dig up Eden pitch" />India-Pak match shifted to Kolkata from Dharamsala

Shifting of the match to Kolkata will give a boost to Mamata ahead of polls

Mamata is 'very, very happy' with the decision

Threat to dig up Eden pitch

"Mr (Jagmohan) Dalmiya had brought the final to Eden but he could not be a witness to the match. We paid our tributes to him by bringing here the India-Pak match here. Wherever he is, he must be happy," local newspapers quoted the former India captain, as saying. He also dedicated the match to Dalmiya.

Dalmiya, a cricket administrator, passed away on September 20 last year.

The final of the T20 World Cup will also be held at the Eden Gardens on April 3 (Sunday), a day before the Assembly election in West Bengal takes off.

India's group-league match against the arch-rivals was shifted from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh to Kolkata on security grounds. The announcement was made by ICC Chief Executive David Richardson.

We are very very happy to host #IND - #PAK #T20WorldCup match in #Kolkata. All are always welcome to our beautiful city

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 9, 2016

The Bengal government took a similar step recently when it invited Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali to perform in Kolkata after his events scheduled in Maharashtra were cancelled in the wake of threats issued by the supporters of the Shiv Sena.

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