By IANS
New Delhi : The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has provided rain forecasts to the Indian cricket team touring Bangladesh, is ready to provide weather predictions to it for ties in south Asia and Sharjah.
The IMD had alerted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the possible impact of rains during the ongoing India-Bangladesh one-day international and Test series, Minister of Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said here Saturday.
He said that a letter has been duly sent to BCCI president Sharad Pawar to this effect.
The tip could not have come in a better time as the ongoing India-Bangladesh cricket series is affected by rain – Saturday's tie in Dhaka had to be truncated by two overs after morning drizzle.
"We had suggested to BCCI chief Sharad Pawar to evolve a permanent mechanism for having weather-related inputs from IMD for cricket matches in south Asia and Sharjah," Sibal told reporters.
The minister said Pawar was quick in his reply and favoured such a mechanism.
The first two India-Bangladesh one-day internationals have already been curtailed due to poor weather conditions and an early onset of monsoon is expected to affect the two-match Test series as well.
The Southwest monsoon arrived in the Andamans May 10 and is expected to reach Bangladesh coast May 24. This may seriously affect the second Test match beginning May 25.
Akhilesh Gupta, an adviser in the ministry, said that monsoon was currently active in the Bay of Bengal and might intensify and move northward. As a result the northeastern states of India and adjoining Bangladesh could witness good rain. Gupta also said that the third ODI Tuesday might also see some interruption.
Sibal said that sports itineraries prepared in consultations with the Indian weather office would facilitate in organising the sports better and will not dishearten fans.
"Cricket could just be a beginning, such customised forecast could help in better organisation of other sporting events too," he added.
Sibal also said that a cabinet note was being moved to modernise the IMD with an investment of Rs.9 billion.