State Cricket Associations Upset With 'Conditional' Invite, May Boycott BCCI Function

Several BCCI-affiliated state associations, upset over the 'conditional' invites sent out by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, may boycott the awards ceremony, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on March 8. Most of the associations are peeved over the language of the invitation, which says, "Kindly note that the Committee of Administrators (COA) is constrained to convey that that only those office-bearers, who are qualified as per the Supreme Court order, are expected to attend the function."

This could be the first instance when most of the state associations could boycott such an event.

Indian captain Virat Kohli is scheduled to receive the Polly Umrigar Award at the functions, while Ravichandran Ashwin will be get the with the Dilip Sardesai Award.

One of the state association members, who spoke to NDTV, said "Invites for the awards function cannot be conditional, it is their (the associations') prerogative as an elected association to send their nominees for the function".

Former domestic cricketers Rajinder Goel and Padmakar Shivalkar, will receive the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award along with former India captain Shanta Rangaswamy, who becomes the first woman to be chosen for the honour.

The fifth MAK Pataudi Memorial Lecture will take place before the awards function and will be delivered by former India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer.

The BCCI Annual Awards committee consisting of Mr. N. Ram, Mr. Ramachandra Guha and Ms. Diana Edulji had also chose Mumbai Cricket Association as the State Association of the Season (2015-16) for winning the Ranji Trophy, the CK Nayudu Trophy and also the Women's Plate League Group. They were the runners-up in the Cooch Behar Trophy, the Vijay Merchant Trophy and the Women's One-Day Elite Group.