BCCI bans Services team from playing in Ranji Trophy

SRINAGAR - The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday banned the Services team for pulling out of their Ranji Trophy game against Jammu and Kashmir at the Sher-E-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar, citing security reasons.

“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,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

“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,” the statement added.

The statement also said that a decision on any further action against the SSCB will be taken by the BCCI’s Working Committee.

Jammu and Kashmir, which has been affected by militant activities in the region for the past two decades, has not hosted a Ranji match since 2004.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association chief Farooq Abdullah, said that the Services team’s decision projects a bad image of India and he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister.

“Services have negated what the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Home Minister have said, that Kashmir is normal. We have also had ambassadors coming here. This shows that some vested interests don’t want Kashmir to normalize,” Abdullah said.

“I will take this up with the Union Government. We were all waiting for the Services. We were here to welcome them. It looks very bad that of all teams, Services decided not to come. It shows a very bad image of India,” he added.

Due to refusal of Services to play the match, the empires of the match has given the match to the Jammu and Kashmir team. (ANI)