Get NOCs by January 31 or else lose WT20 matches: Anurag Thakur to DDCA

Mumbai: Delhi faces the prospect of losing the hosting rights of all its share of ICC World T20 matches, including the marquee semi-final, if the faction-ridden DDCA fails to procure the mandatory NOCs from competent authorities by January 31, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said on Friday.

With the High Court refusing to give directive to Municipal Corporation of Delhi for giving Provisional occupancy Certificate (POC) required for hosting the match, the BCCI has already shifted the second T20 International of the India-Sri Lanka series from Feroz Shah Kotla to Ranchi.

"As far as the World T20 is concerned, we have given DDCA a deadline till January 31 to procure all the necessary NOCs failing which the seven allotted matches will be shifted to other venues with each of them getting a match," Thakur told reporters here.

"I have told them to provide us with all the permissions in writing. If they don't come with NOC by 5 pm on January 31st, matches will be shifted," he added.

The two-day deadline given by the BCCI virtually makes it impossible for DDCA to get the MCD and others clearances as January 30th and 31 are weekends with all state government offices closed.

While DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan and treasurer Ravinder Manchanda were expecting that World T20 matches will not be shifted due to the time at their disposal, the short time at hand might put an end to DDCA's hopes of hosting the matches.

Chauhan has already said that at least 10-12 days of work will be required to comply with the 60-point deviation of norms that the MCD has pointed out in its report.

In all, the future of World T20 matches at the Kotla looks bleak.