IPL VI: BCCI instructs curators to prepare sporting pitches

The decision to prepare sporting wickets for IPL VI was taken at a meeting of the members of various state associations and their curators with the top brass of BCCI.u00a0

"Clear instructions have been handed out to the curators that they should prepare sporting wickets and should not listen to any requests from the franchises. The franchise owners have also been apprised that they should not put any type of pressure on the curators to prepare wickets of their choice," a member of a state unit told PTI.

In IPL 2011, Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit had been inviolved in a fracas over the pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium not suiting the home team. File Pic/Suresh KK

"Neither the curators nor the franchises will be allowed to speak to the media on pitch related issues," he added.

During the meeting, the BCCI also decided that Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium won't hold any matches of IPL 6 due to the long-standing impasse between the state's sports council, custodians of the stadium, and the Rajasthan Cricket Association. Instead Rajasthan Royals home matches will be held at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedamad and at the newly-built Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

Meanwhile, Kolkata's Eden Gardens will be hosting the inaugural ceremony and the opening match of IPL 6 as well as the final game apart from one of the eliminators.u00a0