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28 March 2024

ICC says India’s absence at awards a ‘shame’

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat is interviewed on the red carpet during the LG ICC Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday in London, England. (GETTY)

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By Staff

The blame game continued over the absence of the Indian cricket team at the ICC’s annual awards ceremony held on Monday in England.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) blamed the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) for the fiasco describing it as a “shame” that Indian players skipped the event.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat claimed that they had informed the BCCI about the function well in advance.

“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 the England team has attended,” Lorgat was quoted as saying in the Indian press.

“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,” he added.

Lorgat said the huge gathering at the ceremony was disappointed to not find Indian players.

“In fact I feel more saddened by the number of people, in fact everybody was in attendance last night, who were quite disappointed that India was not there. And that makes me feel more sad and unhappy,” Lorgat said.

Lorgat said such conduct and behaviour from a team like India was not expected.

“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,” he said.

“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,” he said.

Indian team manager Shivlal Yadav, however, said that he was informed only at 12 noon by an ICC communication officer by which time “the players were already away, some shopping, some sight-seeing as this was their final day of stay in London”.

The BCCI refused to clear the air, taking a typically defiant stand.

“Lorgat can say whatever he wants to. We don’t want to comment on it,” CAO of the BCCI, Ratnakar Shetty told Times of India.

Interestingly, a senior BCCI official Rajiv Shukla was present at the event but wasn’t aware that the Indian team wouldn’t be turning up.

“I thought those who have been nominated would be attending the function,” said Shukla.

Apart from Dhoni, who won the Spirit of cricket award, India had nominations in the form of Sachin Tendulkar (Test Player of the Year) and Gautam Gambhir (ODI Player of the Year).