The Telangana High Court has recently stayed the conduct of all league matches of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
The Court noted that representatives from the cricketing body had not appeared before the court, despite multiple adjournments of the writ petition to provide an opportunity for their appearance.
This directive followed a petition filed by Charminar Cricket Club (CCC) promoter Mahbub, who contested the placement of teams. Deccan Chronicle reported that the HCA had added 14 teams to the A1 Division three-day league, contrary to the decision made by the apex council during the general body meeting on February 18. This move faced strong opposition from stakeholders, who alleged it was an attempt to include poorly-rated teams in the elite leagues for financial gain.
Mahbub told Deccan Chronicle that his team, which has produced international cricketers like Mohd Siraj, consistently finished in the top three or four positions in the three-day league. Despite this, the HCA had demoted CCC to the two-day league.
Former HCA secretary Shesh Narayan accused the HCA of making promotions and demotions based on personal whims and for commercial exploitation. “The current rate for leasing a three-day team is around Rs 10 lakh per season. Managers then collect over Rs 40 lakh from players at Rs 2 lakh each for a slot,” he said.
Narayan demanded that the Telangana government intervene in HCA affairs in the public interest, calling for a thorough cleansing of the HCA to save cricket in the state. He claimed that the aspirations of young cricketers for quality cricket and fair opportunities had been undermined by a few apex council members.
ICA members R.A. Swaroop and Vanka Roma Singh, who were part of the HCA apex council, criticized the management of cricket in the state, blaming three specific individuals in the HCA along with the CEO.
“Although there are nine members, the three members along with the CEO have financial signing powers and make all the decisions. The CEO, appointed by the SC-appointed committee, is a major culprit. Despite being well-paid by the HCA, the CEO colluded with the president, secretary, and treasurer. The mismanagement, financial irregularities, and the current state of cricket in Telangana are attributable to them,” they alleged.
