The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today tried to end dead lock with Himachal Pradesh Government to smoothly conduct the Indo-Pak T 20 match to be played at International Cricket Stadium Dharamshala on Mar 19, 2016.
Following shooting of letter by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Virbhadra Singh to Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh showing the inability of the State to host the Indo-Pak T20 match at International cricket stadium Dharamshala following the boycott of match by number of political leaders of BJP and Congress including the kin and kith of martyrs who recent died in Pathankot terror attack.
The BCCI secretary Mr. Anurag Thakur today went to Shimla and met Chief Minister Mr.Virbhadra Singh at his Vidhan Sabha chamber this afternoon. The two leaders accompanied by HPCA officer reportedly had the meeting for half an hour.
After the meeting Mr. Thakur told media persons that dead lock seemed to be ended as they had the meeting on the issue of conducting Indo-Pak match. He said that Mr. Singh told the HPCA officer that State Government did not oppose the Cricket match however, it was concerned when martyrs family decided to boycott the match and decided to oppose the match at Dharamshala.
BCCI secretary also said that he urged the chief minster to assist the BCCI to hold this event smoothly as it was not decided after the terror attack but fixed by the ICC about 6 months back. He said that if the match has to be shifted or suspended it would damage the commitment of the nation given to ICC to host this match moreover reputation of this hill state will be harmed.
Mr. Thakur said that the match has been fixed a long time back and it would be difficult to change the venue when tickets had been booked and all preparations are in final stage. The BCCI or HPCA could not be blamed for holding the match deliberately to hurt the feeling of Martyr family as it was fixed 6 months before the terror attack occurred at Pathankot.
Talking to the media persons after the meeting Chief Minister Mr. Virbhadra Singh said that state never told the BCCI or India Government that it did not want to host the match however it had shown security concern after writing a letter to union home ministry.
Mr. Singh said that during the meeting HPCA office bears have been asked by the state to ensure that kin and kith of martyrs to be consoled by them as they were opposing the match as given a call to boycott it in wake of Pathankot terror attack.
Mr. Singh said that State Government never said that it did not want T-20 series match, except the Indo-Pak match. But if BCCI or HPCA take responsibility of all peaceful and smooth conducting of the match, the State is ready to provide the security to hold this event.
After the meeting Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mr. Thakur gave the response that both are ready to hold the Indo Pak match at Dharamshala ending the dead lock. The meeting between the two leaders reported congenial and positive. It is learned that BCCI has also asked the HPCA office bears to meet with the martyrs family members in Kangra district today.
