The Delhi and District Cricket Association will get to know on February 8 whether it can host the World Twenty 20 Championship matches. Announcing this, Anurag Thakur, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India said, “We are ready with Plan B if DDCA fails to get necessary clearances either from the required agencies or through the court. The tickets will go for sale on February 9.”
The controversial association, which faces serious charges of misappropriation of funds and mismanagement, has been alloted four matches during the ICC event. These include a match between England and a Qualifier, Sri Lanka vs England, South Africa vs Sri Lanka and the first semi final.
However, with DDCA officials facing the uphill task of getting all 60 mandatory clearances in the next three days, BCCI and DDCA officials are hoping to get some reprieve from the court. DDCA plans to approach the Delhi High Court afresh requesting it not to deprive people of Delhi of the opportunity to watch the matches.
“We are keeping all options open. We have already got 4-45 clearances. We are hopeful that we will keep the World T20 matches with us,” said DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan to THE WEEK.
However, the high court in its last order had snubbed DDCA regarding hosting of the forthcoming Twenty20 international match between India and Sri Lanka. It had also said that the court would not give any provisional clearances till all requisite clearances were acquired by the DDCA. Even if most clearances are in, the major ones are those related to structural clearances from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The civic body has not given No Objection Certificate to the renovated Feroz Shah Kotla, alleging illegal construction.
BCCI officials believe that the only way DDCA can retain matches allotted to it is through a favourable court order.
