Mumbai selector alleges threat from MCA Apex Council member

Anand Yalvigi and Kiran Powar

A selector in Mumbai's senior selection panel has alleged that an Apex Council member has threatened him over the non-selection of a particular player.

Mumbai selector Anand Yalvigi on Thursday shot off an email to MCA president Dr Vijay Patil to complain about the incident after Apex Council member Kiran Powar, a former first-class cricketer, called him on Thursday morning.

"Kiran Powar called me and was insisting and threatening me to select a player in the senior team. His tone and language was atrocious and unparliamentary. He threatened all the selection committee members of dire consequences if the player is not selected. It was shocking and disgraceful to see a former player use such language and pressurise a senior selector of Mumbai," Yalvigi wrote in his email message, a copy of which is with mid-day.

Yalvigi revealed the entire conversation with Powar verbatim in his email. An MCA official confirmed receiving Yalvigi's email. However, Yalvigi did not respond to calls from this correspondent while Powar refused to comment.

In his email, Yalvigi has also urged the MCA president to take strict action. "This is absolutely ridiculous that a former player and Apex member can use such language, threaten the selection committee and abuse to select a player. [This is] just not done. We have self respect. I have a clean track record who does his job diligently and am professional with 25 years of corporate experience. Such calls are disturbing and demotivating. If such things continue, I can only say - God help Mumbai cricket," wrote Yalvigi.

Check out all the latest news and updates on IPL 2021

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliabilitsy and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever