ICC irked as BCCI shuns ICC Awards ceremony

ICC News and Opinion: Haroon Lorgat terms it a shame >

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat blamed BCCI for the absence of Indian players at the annual awards ceremony last night. Terming it a shame he regretted to see no Indian representation despite the fact that they were invited about two weeks in advance.

He said: "I know for a fact that they were invited. We sent those invitations through the BCCI. Perhaps that's the question which should be asked to the BCCI.

"It was quite disappointing that the Indian team did not attend the Awards function last night. I know for a fact that my team had invited them some months back. We probably have confirmation of their likely attendance and in fact the very date was scheduled around their availability in London. Well, they haven't and England team has attended," Lorgat said. 
 
"It's a great shame and disappointing that not long ago they were the number one Test team in the World. They won the World Cup in such a great style. And there were many fans and people looking forward to their attendance. It's a shame that they did not attend.

"There is Spirit of the cricket Award that went to MS Dhoni for the wonderful leadership he showed when he recalled Ian Bell. It was a deserving award and quite a shame that he was not there to accept it," Lorgat said.

Indian team manager Shivlal Yadav however laid blame on ICC. According to him an ICC communication officer had informed him at 12 noon but it was too late as "the players were already away, some shopping, some sight-seeing as this was their final day of stay in London".

ICC communication officer Colin Gibson contradicted BCCI by saying: "The Indian team management had been invited to attend tonight and they were invited some weeks ago. Those who were nominated for awards have known it since 26th of August, in Canterbury, when the short-listed names for the awards were announced”.

Indian captain won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award, but he was not there to receive it. And many Indians payers were nominated in ICC Test and ODO Teams of the Year. The world knew there were Awards going on, but Team India remained oblivious!

This lack of sportsmanship on the part of BCCI must have hit hard on ICC whose major source of revenue comes from India. On one hand they cannot antagonize India but at the same time they expect more from them, as they are the World Champions and were until recently world’s number one Test nation.