Calcutta: Owing to concerns about player workloads, the second tsunami fund-raiser between the Asia XI and ICC XI, slated to be held at Eden Gardens on February 13, has been postponed until the second half of April. The decision was arrived at after International Cricket Council?s discussions with its member countries, the Asian Cricket Council and players? representatives.

The ACC executive board will meet on Monday in Dubai to discuss the issue. The first match at the MCG had raised over $11 million.

?On reviewing the proposed date of February 13, it became apparent that there were serious workload issues for many of the players who have indicated a desire to play in this tie. At that time, England will still be in South Africa and Australia?s series against New Zealand will be about to begin,? ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed was quoted as saying in a press release.

The ACC was left with two alternatives, according to its president Jagmohan Dalmiya. ?Either to go ahead with the match on the scheduled date with second-string players or to postpone the match. The first alternative was not acceptable since the cricket loving public would be deprived of seeing the best players in action. Therefore, the ICC desired that the Cricket for Humanity match be postponed,? Dalmiya said at a press conference this evening.

The ICC was aware of the inconvenience it would cause to the hosts. ?There is never an easy time to fit in an additional match but this fundraising initiative is very important to us all,? Speed said. ?We?re accepting it for goodwill. There?s no reason to believe it as a step-motherly treatment. ?