New Delhi: The International Cricket Council said it will take at least two weeks to decide an 'appropriate sanction' for Feroz Shah Kotla as an international venue after the fifth ODI between India and Sri Lanka had to be abandoned due to a poor pitch."Well, it is a well documented and transparent process. We have sought BCCI's comment and given them 14 days time to respond. Thereafter, Ranjan Madugalle (Chief Match Referee) and Dave Richardson (General Manager of cricket) will determine the issue to decide what is an appropriate sanction," Lorgat told PTI.However, the future of Kotla as an international venue is in doubt and it may lose out on hosting the 2011 World Cup matches.
But could more have been done to avoid this national embarrassment?
CNN-IBN learns that this was a disaster waiting to happen. In its venue inspection report on the November 4, the ICC was scathing in its assessment of the Kotla pitch. The report says: "The pitch is in a poor state and is devoid of grass."The observers warned that the surface levels need to be adjusted for Sunday's game. Clearly these warning signs were not heeded to and it has led to the fiasco.Politicians are getting into the act too and the knives are out for the DDCA President Arun Jaitley, a prominent BJP leader, with the Delhi congress chief asking for his resignation.Heads have started to roll though and fall guys are being identified. The DDCA's pitch committee, led by former India opener Chetan Chauhan has quit and the BCCI has disbanded its own Pitches and Grounds Committee led by Daljeet Singh.
But worse could follow for the Kotla under the ICC rules.
The Kotla could be let off with a warning but that appears unlikely.The home board, which is the BCCI, in this case could face a fine.And the worst case scenario could lead to the Kotla being suspended as a venue, which will mean that it will lose its four World Cup games in 2011 along with all other other international matches till the ban is lifted.The scenes of angry fans vandalising the ground after the game was called off are certain to be a wake up call for India's cricket bosses. The richest board in the world can not afford to have such blots on its face.
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