THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finally, it’s Thiruvananthapuram. Under pressure form various quarters, including the state government, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) took an in-principle decision to hold the India-West Indies ODI in the state capital. The decision was taken after KCA officials held talks with Sports Minister A C Moideen here on Thursday.
Putting an end to speculation over which city will host the match, KCA secretary Jayesh George said the association has made an in-principle decision. However, the final decision will be made at the KCA general body meeting to be held in Kumarakom on Saturday. Based on that, the final decision will be communicated to the BCCI.
The KCA accepted the government’s proposal to hold the ODI in Thiruavananthapuram, Moideen said, adding that there’s no room for any controversies in this regard. The FIFA-approved multipurpose stadium in Kochi has good facilities, which need to be protected. At the same time, the government does not subscribe to the view that only football should be played there.
Along with requests to use the Kochi stadium for cricket matches, demands have also come up for a new cricket stadium in the city. The government will examine this, he said.The KCA delegation comprising George, president Ronklin John and treasurer Sreejith V Nair informed Moideen about the existing situation.
The move to shift the venue from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi had invited severe opposition from various quarters. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was vocal against the KCA’s move to shift the match to Kochi.
While ministers Moideen and Kadakampally Surendran joined the move to shift the match, many others, including cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, expressed concern over possible damage to Kochi’s football turf if it hosts the ODI. Following this, the KCA was forced to reconsider its decision.
Tendulkar may not be familiar with wicket preparation: KCA secy
T’Puram: Sachin Tendulkar may not be familiar with wicket preparation. That’s how KCA secretary Jayesh George responded when asked about his reservations about the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi hosting the India-West Indies ODI encounter. “Sachin’s remark could be owing to a misunderstanding that the whole ground could get damaged. Being the owner of Kerala Blasters football team could be the reason for his grievance against Kochi hosting the ODI,” he said. “Sachin need not be familiar with how the wicket is prepared. Neither you nor I am familiar with it. Only the curator is knowledgeable about that,” he replied to a reporter’s query on how Tendulkar could be misled on cricketing matters. Tendulkar had tweeted on possible damage to the football turf if it hosts a cricket match.