Diego Maradona's Match Against Sourav Ganguly To Be Held On October 9

Football legend Diego Maradona will now play the 'Match for Unity against former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly on October 9, the organisers confirmed. Apart from the left-handed batsman, former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay, popular Bengali actor Abir Chatterjee and cricketers Manoj Tiwary and Deep Dasgupta have confirmed their availability for the charity match. The exhibition match would be held at the Aditya School of Sports in Barasat.

"We would like to confirm that the Match for Unity (Diego vs Dada) is to be held at Aditya School of Sports Stadium, Kadambagachi, Taki Road, North 24 Parganas on the 09th of October 2017 at 2.30pm," a statement from the organisers read.

"After much effort and an unforeseen change of date due to pressing obligations on Diego Maradona's part we are delighted to announce that we have obtained all the necessary permissions and clearances necessary for the occasion," the statement added.

Mohun Bagan forward Sony Norde and the club's former greats Chima Okorie, Jose Ramirez Barreto and Odafa Okolie will also be rubbing shoulders with the Argentine legend.

Former India players Prasun Banerjee, Carlton Chapman and Dipendu Biswas will also take part in the match.

Maradona was initially scheduled to arrive in the third week of September but his trip first got postponed to October 2.

Then the 1986 FIFA World Cup hero wrote on his Facebook page that he will have to reschedule his visit to October 8, the day the U-17 world Cup gets underway in the city with the Salt Lake Stadium hosting England versus Chile first followed by Iraq and Mexico.