Kotla stripped off India-SA test, may lose World Cup 2011 matches too

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: December 29, 2009

commentComment     Email This Post Email This Post     Printable version

Kotla stripped off India-SA test, may lose World Cup 2011 matches too thumbnail

New Delhi: After Sunday’s pitch fiasco at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, it is now being reported that Delhi would not be hosting India’s test match against South Africa to be played early next year.

Even though the date and venue of the two-Test series have not been finalised, Delhi has been a frontrunner to host one of the two matches when South Africa visit the country in February-March for a series that also features three ODIs.

“But after the pitch fiasco that led to the abandonment of the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka ODI yesterday, Feroz Shah Kotla is now out of the race,” a BCCI source said.

Under the ICC rules, Kotla may even be banned for a period of 12-18 months which would effectively mean that it will not be able to host the 2011 World Cup matches that are scheduled in Delhi. The ICC has already served a notice seeking explanation from BCCI which has asked DDCA for its version. It may take a month’s time for the ICC to complete the process and come out with “appropriate sanction” in the case of Kotla.

In the aftermath, former players blasted DDCA for the fiasco with ex-captain Bishan Singh Bedi wondering how the pitch which was not used even for Ranji Trophy matches was used for a one-day international.

DDCA vice president Chetan Chauhan, however, expressed hope that ICC would understand the issue and Kotla would remain an international venue. “I would be a liar if I say I am not worried. We are very, very sorry and upset but it was beyond our control. We want international cricket to continue in Kotla. We have taken it seriously and accept it was our mistake,” Chauhan said.

“But at the same time, I’m sure people will understand the issue and we would host Indian Premier League and international matches here,” Chauhan said.

The former player, however, insisted that the match could have continued in an adjacent pitch.

“We offered another centre pitch and asked just one hour’s time to get it ready. Of course it required approval of both the captains but that was an option. The match should have continued for the sake of 45,000-50,000 people who had come to the stadium,” Chauhan said.

Tagged with: , , , , ,


WPSN comments




Related News Headlines

Cricketain Latest