Aaditya Thackeray's googly to ICC: Why host T20 WC final in Ahmedabad and not Mumbai?
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday targeted the International Cricket Council (ICC) for choosing Ahmedabad in neighboring Gujarat as the venue for the T20 Cricket World Cup and alleged politics of favoritism.
In a post on X, Thackeray asked why Mumbai can't be the venue for the T20 World Cup final to be held early next year.
Eight venues, five in India and three in Sri Lanka, will host the 55 matches of the tournament, the schedule of which was unveiled on Monday.
The 20-team tournament, which includes debutants Italy, will be divided into four groups of five with eight teams progressing to the Super Eight stage. Four teams will then make the semi-finals, slated to be held in Kolkata or Colombo and Mumbai.
The Indian government has barred all bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year, but has permitted contests between the two nations in multinational events.
The final will take place in either Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on Pakistan's qualification.
"So the T20 World Cup fixture is out. Guess where the final is scheduled? Ahmedabad. What's this fascination of pulling every single final there? Has this been a traditional cricket venue? Why not Mumbai? Wankhede (stadium in Mumbai) will be the absolute best venue for a T20 World Cup final. Remember 2011? The one in Ahmedabad has already hosted a World Cup final. Expecting the @ICC not to indulge in politics and favouritism," said the former state minister.
Thackeray maintained some other venues in India are also capable of hosting the final match.
"Likewise, Eden Gardens - Kolkata, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, IS Bindra - Mohali,' all of these are good to host the T20 World Cup Finals. But due to this sudden politics of favouritism, we face injustice," he said on X.
The Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai has a seating capacity of 33,500, while the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad can host 1.32 lakh cricket fans.
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Karnataka BJP MLA caught taking Rs 5 lakh bribe remanded to judicial custody
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP MLA Dr Chandru Lamani, caught allegedly accepting a Rs 5 lakh bribe from a contractor, has been remanded to judicial custody until March 3.
The Shirahatti MLA, a doctor, was brought from Gadag to Bengaluru on Saturday night and produced before a Special Court for Public Representatives, sources said.
The court remanded him to custody until March 3.
The MLA was caught in a Lokayukta trap following a complaint by Vijay Pujar, a Class-1 contractor from Chinchali in Gadag district.
Lokayukta officials said the alleged bribe was linked to Minor Irrigation Department works, including the construction of retaining walls along a road. The accused had demanded Rs 11 lakh from the complainant to execute the project, and Rs 5 lakh was accepted during the trap.
Along with Lamani, his personal assistants, Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik, were also arrested in connection with the case.
