BCCI may call off remainder of India-New Zealand series

Mumbai: Team India’s joy to topple Pakistan and top the ICC Test rankings is about to get spoiled as BCCI is contemplating to call off the remainder of the India-New Zealand series.

The Indian cricket board may also call off the entire home season which includes series against England, Australia and Bangladesh, according to reports.

The move may take place after Lodha committee asked two banks to freeze BCCI accounts.

“We have no option other than to call off the India-New Zealand series as our banks have decided to freeze BCCI accounts. We don’t want India to be humiliated in front of the world. How can we function, how can we hold any games now? Who will make the payment? Freezing a bank account is no joke. An international team is here, and there is so much at stake,” one of the senior BCCI officials was quoted saying to The Indian Express.

Fuming at the defiance of its recommendations, the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel had "directed" banks, where BCCI holds accounts, not to disburse any funds for the financial decisions taken by the board at its Special General Meeting on September 30.

"It has come to the notice of this Committee that certain decisions have been taken at the 'Emergent Working Committee' meeting of the BCCI on 30th September 2016 to disburse large funds to the various member associations," the committee has stated in a letter to the banks.

The letter had also been addressed to BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke, CEO Rahul Johri and Treasurer Anirudh Choudhary.

"You are aware that by way of this Committee's direction dated 31.8.2016, no further decisions were to be taken regarding the future apart from routine matters. The disbursement of these amounts are not routine, and in any case, not emergent," the committee said.

"You are also aware that the BCCI has chosen to breach the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court as well as the first set of Timelines set out by this Committee which includes the Fund Disbursement policy to be framed by 30.9.2016.

"As the status report is to be taken up for directions by the Hon'ble Court on Thursday, 6.10.2016, you are hereby directed not to take any steps towards financial disbursement of the amounts as resolved/approved after the direction dated 31.8.2016. Any violation of this direction will be placed before the Hon'ble Supreme Court for appropriate directions," it added.

The panel also cited the July 18 Supreme Court verdict, which had told the BCCI to "cooperate and act in aid of the Committee and its directives".

The BCCI is on the backfoot in the ongoing tussle with the Lodha Committee, which has filed a status report in the apex court asking for the removal of the Board's entire top brass for violating its recommendations in the September 30 SGM.