New Delhi: The Feroz Shah Kotla will finally get to host its allotted semifinal of the ICC World Twenty20 on March 30 after host association, the Delhi and District Cricket Association got the needed clearances to use the RP Mehra Block which had been a hurdle in the way of the game.
“I am very pleased to announce that we have received permission from the required authority, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, to use the entire RP Mehra block,” DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan, said. “We are thankful to Retired Justice Mukul Mudgal for giving us the approval to use this structure. We have permission to use the entire stadium. We are thankful to the BCCI and ICC for having shown faith in us and giving us an extra three days to secure the necessary approvals. All doubts have been cleared, the semi-final will take place as scheduled on March 30 at the Kotla,” he added.
The match had been thrown into doubt over the lack of a completion certificate for the block from the SDMC, and the DDCA had been given an extended deadline till 2 pm on the day to furnish the document, which came after a meeting of its officials with Justice Mudgal, the Supreme Court-appointed observer.
“The DDCA stands have been cleared till 2017. Not only this match but all the IPL matches will go ahead as planned. Decks were cleared after Justice Mudgal was convinced that there would no legal problem in holding the matches,” DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda was quoted as saying.
The disputed block has a seating capacity of around 2,000. On Tuesday, the DDCA withdrew its petition seeking a direction to the SDMC to certify the block, which has not been used in the World T20 matches that has taken place at the Kotla so far.
