BCCI Upset Over Lodha Committee’s Move to Freeze Bank Accounts, May Cancel New Zealand Series

While the Indian team maybe in a joyous mood having reclaimed the top spot in tests by defeating New Zealand in Kanpur and Kolkata, the rest of their series against New Zealand may get cancelled after the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) questioning disbursement of subsidies and other payments to state cricket associations.

The BCCI in its Special General Meeting (SGM) on Friday released payments to its member associations, against the directions of the Lodha Committee. BCCI’s decision to disburse huge amounts was termed ‘illegal’ by the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee on Monday.

Following Lodha Committee’s directions to not disburse any funds, Yes Bank and Bank of Maharashtra (the two Banks that operate BCCI's accounts) froze the board’s account, denying them access to funds. The move has upset the board’s leadership, which is now planning to cancel the ongoing India-New Zealand series citing a shortage of funds due to frozen accounts.

"We have no option other than to call off the India-New Zealand series as our banks have decided to freeze BCCI accounts. We don’t want India to be humiliated in front of the world," the Indian Express quoted a BCCI official as saying.

The Committee is said to have taken this decision because the board had missed the first deadline for implementing the committee’s recommendations which include the Fund Disbursement policy. The board’s decision can also affect the entire home season which includes playing England, Bangladesh and Australia in India.