BCCI to cancel New Zealand series: Reports
The Indian team maybe in a joyous mood having reclaimed the top spot in Tests with thumping performances against a fighting New Zealand side in Kanpur and Kolkata, but the rest of their series against New Zealand, and perhaps their entire home season which includes playing England, Bangladesh and Australia at home, has come under a cloud. This comes after the Lodha Panel wrote to Board of Control for Cricket in India, lashing out at their decision to disburse large funds to the various member associations.
In the email that was sent to BCCI, Yes Bank and Bank of Maharastra (the two Banks that operate BCCI's accounts), the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Panel directed the banks not to disburse any funds for the financial decisions taken by the board at its Special General Meeting on September 30.
Times of India reported that Bank of Maharashtra chose to freeze the BCCI account on Monday (October 3) itself while Yes Bank was considering what action to take. The report added that the banks will be reluctant to upset the Lodha Committee, which is acting on behalf of the Supreme Court.
This move has left the BCCI fuming and unable to pay the member boards for hosting an international game.
The Indian Express reported on Tuesday that the Board was forced to take this step as its hands were tied. The report said that the BCCI has decided to cancel the rest of the New Zealand series, as a result. New Zealand are still to play one Test and five ODIs against India.
"We have no option other than to call off the India-New Zealand series as our banks have decided to freeze BCCI accounts. We dont want India to be humiliated in front of the world. How can we function, how can we hold any games now? Who will make the payment? Freezing a bank account is no joke. An international team is here, and there is so much at stake," the Indian Express quoted a BCCI official as saying.
Times of India, too, reported BCCI's disenchantment at Lodha's directive. They reported a senior BCCI functionary as saying, "How can we play the Test against New Zealand when we won't have the money to pay their board for the tour? They (Lodha panel) are raising questions over money that belongs to the BCCI and is being distributed to its member associations under its rules and regulations. The match cannot go ahead."
"In fact, the entire home season may now be in doubt after what is happening. They (Lodha panel) are only interested in doing what they think is right. Whereas it is the BCCI's money which the BCCI is distributing for improvement of infrastructure," another official was quoted as saying.
The Lodha Committee on Monday had sent emails to the secretary, treasurer and chief executive officer of the BCCI, informing them that the cricket board was in violation of the Supreme Court judgment for disbursing large funds to state associations in an emergency working committee meeting on September 30.
Lodha committee secretary Gopal Sankaranarayanan wrote in the email: "It has come to the notice of this Committee that certain decisions have been taken at the 'Emergent Working Committee' on 30th September 2016 to disburse large funds to the various member associations. You are aware that by way of this Committee's direction dated 31.8.2016, no further decisions were to be taken regarding the future apart from routine matters. The disbursement of these amounts are not routine, and in any case, not emergent."
The letter added that "BCCI has chosen to breach the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court" as well as the first set of (Lodha Committee) timelines which includes the Fund Disbursement policy to be framed by September 30, 2016.
