Second India-Sri Lanka T20 international shifted from Delhi to Ranchi

NEW DELHI: The second Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka on February 12 was today shifted from Delhi to Ranchi after the DDCA expressed its inability to host the match following a snub from the Delhi High Court.

"...the venue of the second Twenty20 International match of the three-match home series against Sri Lanka has been shifted from Delhi to Ranchi," BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.

The other two games of the three-match series are to be played on February 9 (Pune) and February 14 (Visakhapatnam).

After the Delhi High Court refused to direct the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to provide DDCA with Provisional Occupancy Certificate (POC), there was little chance that the controversial and faction-ridden association would host the slated match.

"We have informed the BCCI today that we will not be able to get the clearance from MCD in time after complying to norms. We told the BCCI officials that we will have all the compliance certificates ready for World T20 but it will not be possible to get clearance before February 12 and then get clearances from state's fire and electrical department," DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan told PTI.

Asked if the High Court observation turned out to be an embarrassment for the association which is neck-deep in financial scandals, Chauhan said: "We had to take a chance and that is why we moved High Court. Had we not done that, we would have been criticised for letting the match go.

"At least we tried to organise but in such short time, we would not be able to complete the required 60-point deviations that the MCD has cited. But rest assured we will be ready for the World Cup."0

Chauhan also denied knowledge that DDCA official Manjeet Singh, who was a part of the Tours and Fixtures Committee meeting of the BCCI, misinformed secretary Anurag Thakur about having all the compliance certificates.

"I know he (Manjeet) said DDCA is ready but I do not think he mentioned about having the compliance certificates. If he has said so and it is there in the BCCI minutes of the meeting, we will surely pull him up," the former Test opener said.