'No such decision!' BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia shuts down rumours of shifting IND vs SL ODI from Delhi to Ahmedabad originally appeared on Cricket News . Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has denied reports that the first India vs Sri Lanka ODI will be moved from Delhi to Ahmedabad.
An earlier Jagran News report had blamed construction work at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for the supposed shift of the December 13 opener.
Saikia urged the media to rely on official BCCI communications and reminded everyone that bilateral matches are allotted under a standard policy.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has rubbished reports that the opening India vs Sri Lanka ODI is being taken away from Delhi. The Board has moved quickly to settle the matter after a wave of speculation claimed that the match would be played in Ahmedabad, and its response leaves little room for doubt.
Sri Lanka are due to travel to India in December for three ODIs and three T20Is, with the one-day leg coming first and the T20I series following it. India will host the tourists after finishing a multi-format tour of New Zealand in October and November, which means the series will arrive at the end of a very busy stretch for the home side.
The first ODI was originally scheduled for the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on December 13, and the Board has not announced any change to that listing.
However, Dainik Jagran reported that the opener had been shifted from New Delhi to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The reason offered was the ongoing construction work at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which was said to have forced the Board's hand.
Saikia has now rejected those claims in an official statement. He began by describing the reports as inaccurate and made it clear that the Board has not taken any decision of this kind.
"Reports suggesting that the India–Sri Lanka ODI match scheduled in Delhi may be shifted to Ahmedabad are not accurate. There has been no such decision by the BCCI," Saikia said.
He then turned to the way the story had travelled, appealing to journalists to check their facts before passing on unverified claims. He also pointed to the principle that governs the way such matches are given out.
"We request media colleagues to kindly refer to official BCCI communications for any updates regarding the schedule. Further, it needs to be reiterated that bilateral matches are primarily allotted by following a standard policy," he added.
Saikia's reference to a standard policy is understood to point to the Board's rotation system, under which international bilateral fixtures are shared among its member associations.
Such a system is designed to prevent matches from being moved to marquee venues at will, and changes are generally expected only when logistical problems or weather emergencies leave no alternative.
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
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