NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday finally broke his silence over the IPL spot-fixing scandal and demanded that all IPL matches be probed. The Union minister said that he felt sad about was happening to Indian cricket due to the ongoing controversy. He, however, averted the question that BCCI chief N. Srinivasan should quit from the post on moral grounds.
Addressing the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) annual awards function as chief guest at the Wankhede Stadium, Mr Pawar said, “All IPL matches should have been probed. If I had been there, I would have not allowed this to happen. It’s painful.” He even accepted that the BCCI’s reputation has been affected by these unfolding events.
Mr Pawar then sidestepped the question on whether the BCCI president should resign in the aftermath of the controversy and said, “I don’t want to say someone should or shouldn’t go. Also, I have no authority to ask for resignation nor do I have the authority to comment on the opinions expressed in this regard.”
This is the first time that Mr Pawar has commented on the raging controversy that has surrounded the IPL matches.
On the question of conflict of interest involving BCCI, whose India Cements bought Chennai Super Kings when he was a member of the cricket board, Mr Pawar said that it was a conscious decision by the BCCI, taken after obtaining legal advice.