Boycott IPL, mantri tells Chargers
Hyderabad, Feb. 10: Andhra Pradesh sports and IT minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Wednesday asked the Deccan Chargers to boycott the IPL tournament if the governing council stuck to its decision not to conduct matches in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, CM K. Rosaiah requested Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, also president-elect of the ICC, to intervene and retain the IPL matches in the city itself. Though Deccan Chargers, the defending champions, were scheduled to play the inaugural as well as three other matches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, the IPL organisers decided to shift the venue to Mumbai. It was the disruption of a preparatory match by Telangana activists that unnerved the council.
"It will be a shame for all of us if the venue is shifted," said Mr Venkat Reddy. "The stadium was built to international standards and the pitch has received acclaim from international cricketers and experts." When mediapersons drew his attention to the disruption of the match by Telangana activists, the minister said Hyderabad would be much safer than Mumbai. Mr Rosaiah, who took up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, also wrote to Mr Pawar on Wednesday asking him to use his good offices to ensure that the matches were played as scheduled. Shifting the venue had disappointed cricket lovers in the state, he said.
Mr Rosaiah promised adequate security for the match and added that the Telangana Joint Action Committee had also volunteered to extend full cooperation for the conduct of matches in Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad Cricket Association also wrote to the BCCI expressing anguish at not being consulted before the decision was taken. Mr G. Vinod, HCA president, said in a letter to BCCI president Shashank Manohar that the decision was unilateral and urged him to ensure that the matches were conducted in the city. "Hosting all the matches in Hyderabad, including the inaugural ceremony, has become a matter of pride and honour for us," he said.
Referring to the promises made by the CM and the JAC, Mr Vinod said shifting the matches would deprive the cricket-loving public of Hyderabad an opportunity to support their home team, the current champions.
Age Correspondent
Post new comment