Delhi in Danger of Losing Fourth India-South Africa Test

The Feroz Shah Kotla is in danger of losing the fourth Test between India and South Africa starting December 3. Always in turmoil, the Delhi and District Cricket Association has to meet a week's deadline to establish its state of readiness to the Indian Board. And officials in Feroz Shah Kotla are clearly struggling. (DDCA Involved in Big Ranji Mess)

In October this year, the Delhi government directed the DDCA to pay Rs 24.45 crores in entertainment taxes. The order was made under the provisions of the Delhi Entertainments and Betting Tax Act of 1996.

Bankrupt DDCA, according to reports, can afford to pay advance taxes of a crore and settle the rest after the Test match. Officials are worried that the state government may not agree.

Pune Could Host if Delhi Fails

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has set a November 17 deadline to DDCA, failing which the match will be awarded to Pune. The BCCI has named new Test centres during its AGM on Monday. So there are no shortage of takers.

DDCA officials have approached Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for help. DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda said that they will appeal to the CM and point out that the DDCA was exempt from entertainment tax until 2009.

"We are going to meet Kejriwal and request him if this amount could be settled after the Test is conducted. The Test is a big event for all Delhiites. Generally, the government helps in such cases. The CM is a gentleman and we hope he will understand our position," Manchanda said.

This is not the first time that DDCA has been in hot water in the current India-South Africa series.

Just before the start of the Twenty20 series, the first warm-up game between South Africa and the Board President's XI was shifted from the Kotla to Palam.

Chetan Chauhan, the vice-president of the DDCA, had said the main reason for the shifting was lack of permission from the government departments and also due to internal differences within the organisation.