For cricket fans in Kolkata who are starved of quality action, there’s finally some good news. Come winter, Eden Gardens will host an India versus Sri Lanka one-dayer — the city’s first international cricket match after two-and-a-half years.

Eden will host the fourth match of the 5-match One-Day International (ODI) series, with December 20 as the tentative date for the day-night fixture.

The last time Eden hosted an ODI was way back in February 2007 when India’s day-nighter against the Sri Lankans was washed out. Later, in December 2007, India played a Test match against Pakistan in Kolkata, which ended in a draw.

Ever since, the hallowed stadium has been desperately waiting for an international fixture.

The decision was taken on Friday at a brainstorming meeting of the BCCI’s Tour, Programme and Fixture Committee, which met in New Delhi to pick the venues for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of India. The Lankans will tour India in November-December this year for three Tests and five one-dayers.

CAB joint-secretary Biswarup Dey, who was recently inducted into the Board’s powerful tour committee, argued Eden’s case and appeared to have eked out the all-important nod of BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi, who heads the committee.

Expressing satisfaction over the development, CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya pointed out that while an ODI was “overdue” to Eden, the state association will also make a strong case with the Board for hosting a Test match as well.

According to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) international calendar, the South Africans are expected to tour India in Janurary-February next year for three Tests and five ODIs. The CAB may ask for one of the three Tests.

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