Embattled pacer Mohammad Shami’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League season will depend on the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit which will submit its report after completing its investigation into allegations of corruption levelled by his wife Hasin Jahan.
“The Anti-Corruption Unit is investigating the matter and will file a report. We will wait for it before taking a call on Shami’s participation,” IPL governing council member Sourav Ganguly said.
Jahan has alleged that Shami had taken money from a Pakistani woman named Alishba on the insistence of an England-based businessman, Mohammad Bhai.
BCCI’s Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai had subsequently asked the board’s anti-corruption cell to look into the matter.
Delhi Daredevils, who acquired the services of the pacer during the recently held players’ auction, though, remain hopeful that the India cricker will be allowed to participate in the tournament.
“We are hoping that Shami is cleared and will be allowed to play in the league,” DD CEO Hemant Dua said. “However, we will have to wait for the BCCI probe to conclude. The BCCI has assured us that the report will be out in a week’s time,” he added.
Jahan had filed a police complaint against the pacer, alleging infidelity and domestic violence, which had resulted in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) withholding Shami’s central contract.
The Kolkata Police had last week booked Shami and four others under various sections of the IPC, following Jahan’s complaint.
The case was lodged under sections 498A (cruelty to a woman by her husband or his relatives), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) of the Indian Penal Code.
Pune to host IPL playoffs
Among other decisions at the Governing Council meeting, Rs 18 crore were earmarked for organising the IPL opening ceremony.
“The finance team of BCCI has decided that Rs 18 crore will be spent on the opening ceremony even though the sanctioned budget was Rs 30 crore,” BCCI acting president CK Khanna said on the sidelines of the meeting.
The IPL Play-off matches have been awarded to Pune while Rajkot and the newly-built stadium in Lucknow have been kept on stand by in case any centre faces any difficulty.
Kings XI Punjab has already asked for a shift of their matches during a particular phase when the Chandigarh airport will be closed for repair work.
During the opening ceremony on April 7 all the eight IPL captains will be present unlike in the past. Usually, captains playing on the following day of the ceremony miss the ceremony.