Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, the sports minister of Punjab, has sent a letter to BCCI president Roger Binny and secretary Jay Shah, raising concerns about the exclusion of Mohali as a host city for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup.
Hayer questioned the criteria used for this decision and expressed worries about potential political interference in the scheduling process. Mohali has a strong cricketing history, having hosted significant matches, including two ODI World Cup semi-finals in 1996 and 2011.
Minister Hayer highlighted Punjab’s excellent sports infrastructure and emphasized the reputation of the IS Bindra Stadium in hosting high-profile matches. Opposition party leaders have also raised questions about the allocation of matches, particularly why Ahmedabad is receiving more prominent fixtures.
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Hayer mentioned a statement by BCCI vice president Rajiv Shukla, who claimed that the PCA Mohali stadium did not meet the ICC’s criteria to host a World Cup match. Hayer requested clarification on the ICC’s criteria for considering Mohali ineligible and whether an ICC team visited the stadium for inspection.
He emphasized Mohali’s status as a top stadium in India and highlighted the city’s infrastructure and amenities for teams. The minister expressed confidence that Punjab’s concerns would be addressed fairly, noting the state’s rich tradition of bravery, hospitality, and sporting achievements, including producing cricketing legends.