New Delhi, January 22: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned international matches at New Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla till the end of 2010 after it came under fire for preparing a pitch unfit for play during a one-day international between India and Sri Lanka on December 27 last year.
The venue, however, has survived the scare of missing out on hosting the 2011 World Cup matches. “Delhi is too big a centre to miss out on hosting World Cup matches,” the ICC said while announcing its verdict.
The ICC has also given its approval for IPL matches at the venue. “We encourage domestic matches on the pitch before it is declared suitable for international games.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, said it will challenge the order.
“We have told the ICC that we won’t host matches in Kotla in 2010, but we cannot be dictated on this matter. We will challenge the order,” BCCI president Shashank Manohar told DNA.
“The ICC had received a submission from the BCCI that no international match will be scheduled in Kotla in 2010. Keeping this in mind, the ICC decided to endorse this action,” said the ICC spokesman.
The ICC pitch consultant will also inspect the Kotla ground and oversee remedial work through the year. ICC general manager David Richardson and chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle decided on the verdict ‘after considering all the evidence’.
The verdict upholds match referee Alan Hurst’s contention that the Kotla pitch was dangerous and unfit for play. Richardson said, “We understand that turf pitches are not and cannot be expected to always behave predictably and that an occasional delivery of unexpected steep bounce is part of the game.”
He added, “It is the first time that the Kotla pitch has been rated unfit. The ground has a long history of successfully hosting international cricket matches and will continue to do so during the 2011 World Cup.”
—PTI