Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) International Cricket Council (ICC) chief-executive Haroon Lorgat Monday said the world body has issued notice to the Indian cricket board over the unplayable pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla and indicated that strict sanctions will be taken against Delhi.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has 14 days to respond, starting today to submit its report. After that chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle and Dave Richardson (General Manager of cricket) will determine the issue to decide what is an appropriate sanction,” Lorgat told reporters here.

Lorgat, however, didn’t want to speculate about the possible sanctions, ranging from 12-24 months ban on hosting international matches against Ferozeshah Kotla, where the fifth and the final ODI against India and Sri Lanka was abandoned Sunday due to a dangerous pitch.

“I don’t want to comment or speculate what are the possible sanctions that can be imposed by the ICC because we have two people who will take the final decision. It would take around 10-14 days to prepare the final report and in all it would take nearly a month’s time to wrap up the entire process,” he said.

This was the second time in the year that a match was abandoned due to unplayable conditions. Earlier this year in March, a Test match between the West Indies and England was abandoned at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, after just 10 balls due to an unfit outfield. The Test match was shifted to the adjacent Antigua Recreation Ground and the Vivian Richards Stadium was banned for a year.

“We have toughened up the sanctions following the Antigua incident. The sanctions are clear, if a pitch is declared unfit, there’s a particular sanction and for poor pitches, it’s different,” he said.