MUMBAI: Not only current Ranji Trophy champions Madhya Pradesh, but 2019-20 season Ranji winners Saurashtra too will get a chance to play an Irani Cup match in the upcoming season.
In a rare case, the 2022-23 domestic season will witness two Irani Cup clashes-the Saurashtra versus Rest of India clash is set to be played from October 1-5 in Rajkot, while Madhya Pradesh will take on ROI later in the season.
Saurashtra had clinched the 2019-20 edition of the Ranji Trophy on March 13, 2020 when they beat Bengal by 44 runs in the final at Rajkot, and were set to play their Irani Cup tie on March 18, 2020 in Rajkot, as per a release on Sunday by the Saurashtra Cricket Association.
However, due to the onset of Covid-19 and then a national lockdown, that Irani Cup match couldn't be held . However, the BCCI agreed to a request by the SCA to schedule an Irani Cup game for their team this season.
“The BCCI communicated its decision to us today. We’re thankful to Jay bhai (BCCI secretary Jay Shah) and others in the BCCI for considering and consenting to our request to allow Saurashtra the opportunity to play in the Irani Cup after we missed out on the chance to play in it (in 2020) due to covid. Our boys have been given a chance to prove their worth,” SCA president and former Saurashtra captain Jaydev Shah told this paper from Rajkot.
