How BCCI saved Kotla from World Cup ban

After India's one-dayer against Sri Lanka was abandoned due to an unfit pitch after just 23 overs on December 27, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its decision yesterday to bar Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi from hosting international cricket till the end of 2010.

One year of no international cricket may appear a stiff punishment but Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) have walked away with virtually no punishment despite ruining the image of India's cricket administration.

World Cup safe
In its confession submitted to the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) assured the ICC that New Delhi won't be allotted any international matches during this year. As a result, the ICC accepted the plea and retained the Kotla's status as one of the eight Indian venues to stage next year's World Cup
matches.

"The BCCI conveyed to the ICC that Delhi was not going to host any international cricket this year," BCCI's Chief Administrative Officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty told MiD DAY last night.

"We also assured them that the World Cup preparations will continue throughout the year. As a result, Andy Atkinson (ICC pitch consultant) will be in Delhi in February."

After the two-Test and three-ODI series against South Africa, India are scheduled to host New Zealand for three Tests and five ODIs towards the end of the year.

Though the BCCI admitted the Kotla pitch was unsuitable, it was learnt that Delhi were anyway not eligible to host any of India's home matchesu00a0 till the end of the year due to BCCI's rotation policy.

The Kotla may have been saved once. Let's hope it avoids another embarrassment during the World Cup.