PMO seeks explanation for Services’ ‘no-show’

Zeecric Bureau

Srinagar: Hours after the BCCI banned the Services Ranji team for skipping its Srinagar match, the Prime Minister’s Office has asked the team to explain the ‘no-show’.

The PMO intervention comes after Farooq Abdullah, President, J & K Cricket Association, took up the matter with the Prime Minister himself.

Earlier, Ranji team Services was banned from this year’s Ranji Trophy cricket season for skipping a match against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar citing security reasons.

This decision came came soon after the state body’s angry outburst against the last-minute pullout.

In what came as a jolt to the cricket lovers in Jammu and Kashmir, Services team refused to play their Ranji Trophy match in the capital city of Srinagar citing security reasons for pull-out.

“The Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) cricket team was scheduled to play a Ranji Trophy game against Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) at Srinagar from November 3 to November 6 2009.”

“However, the SSCB forfeited the match, having expressed its inability to send its cricket team to Srinagar. The SSCB has therefore been disqualified from participating in the 2009-10 edition of the Ranji Trophy, in accordance with the rules of the BCCI pertaining to Domestic Tournaments,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

Services have given a walkover to J&K in the Plate Division match, saying they have security apprehensions about coming here for the match.

Assistant coach of Services J P Pandey said that the team was asked not to proceed for the match in Jammu and Kashmir and were told to prepare for the next game.