Great embarrassment

The fifth ODI between Sri Lanka and India in Delhi at Feroz Shah Kotla had to be abandoned after 23.2 overs due to unplayable condition of the pitch. Delhi is the national capital of India and has prestigeous place among the world capitals. There is every possibility that Kotla fiasco will keep out of contention for Test match with South Africa.Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the richest in the world of cricket boards. Then the question here arises that it is only concerned with making the money and has no regard for the prestige of the nation and sentiment of the thousands of spectators. It is because of DDCA and BCCI that the nation had to hang its head in shame. It was already known that the pitch of Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi was not fit for playing the international match. The world famous cricket players like Virendra Sehwag, Ricky Ponting and Gautam Gambhir had already expressed reservation about the fitness of pitch at Kotla ground. But neither the officials and the men involved in the preparation of Kotla pitch nor the BCCI took any notice of players’s reservation. In India, the cricket match is considered as one of the most important festvals. The sepectators book ticket with their hard-earned money to watch the match but the BCCI and DDCA show no regard for their feelings, wastage of time and money. They only want to make money out of the matches. Twice during the international matches at Eden Ganrden in Kolkata, the electricity went off but the BCCI did nothing. The officials of both BCCI and DDCA appear only to be involved in making money at the cost of national prestige. The cancellation of the fifth ODI between Sri Landa and INdia at Kotla ground may result in the banning of World Cup 2011 matches in Delhi. It has sent out very bad message about the misnagement of BCCI. The entire world cricket playing countries must be smiling mockingly at India and the circumstances under which the match were abandoned in Delhi may have negative impact on the impression worlwide of preparation for Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi next year. The mismanagement of BCCI and alleged corruption in DDCA need the government of India to intervene because national prestige is also involved and it has been jeopardised . If the pictch was not fit for the play, why the DDCA officials did not refuse to hold the game at Kotla. They should have written earlier to BCCI that they are unable to hold the match or the BCCI itself inspected the pitch whether it was playable or not. But as they are little concerned with anything else but making money, they ignored the pitch condition. Now only resigning by two or three officials of DDCA responsible for the under preparation of pitch will not serve the purpose. DDCA needs to be overhauled and BCCI must be held accountable for this sameful act. ICC is likely to take the matter seriously but may let off BCCI lightly by giving it only warning because its being the richest cricket board in the world. But as the matter is of national importance and the sentiment of the cricker lovers are involved,BCCI and DDCA owe explanation to the nation. So the government of India must intervene and act to ensure that such shameful fiasco coud not be repeated.