Internet Desk: Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat has threatened the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about not releasing South African cricketers for Indian Premier League (IPL) next season. In a letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Lorgat had requested the Indian cricket board to confirm India’s tour to South Africa later this year. Indian team was supposed to tour South Africa in December.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri confirmed having received the letter from Lorgat but chose not to reply.
“I didn’t even bother to communicate. We will communicate when the time is right,” Johri told TOI.
It is now clearly evident that the CSA is trying to flex its muscles at the BCCI over the participation of Proteas cricketers in the cash rich league. The deadline for the South African cricketers playing in IPL 10 ended on May 08 following which they returned home.
Cricket South Africa is expecting India to tour South Africa in December, with the first test to taking place on Boxing Day. But the BCCI is yet to confirm the tour. Sources in the board say Virat Kohli and his team is likely to tour South Africa in January and not December.
It is to be noted that both boards are at war against each other with the CSA voting against the BCCI at the recent Board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in both finance and governance policy changes. Cricket South Africa is expecting India to also support their proposed Global Destination T20 League for which a window is yet to be created.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that BCCI has confirmed New Zealand as Pakistan’s replacement to tour India in November. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought damages and compensation to the tune of Rs447 crore from the BCCI for not honouring the MOU to play six bilateral series between 2014 and 2023.