Who is responsible?

Preparation work being carried out at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium ahead of the ODI World Cup in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

In a few days' time, our country will be hosting the ICC World Cup for the fourth time. From having to fight for moving it out of England to India for the first time way back in 1987 to a stage where the ICC is only too happy to have it in India, it's been a long haul. The India of 2023 is a far cry from 1987.

Even then, India showed it could organise a World Cup brilliantly though the media from the Old Powers tried to find faults with this, that or the other. Those who came with an open mind, enjoyed the tournament thoroughly. Australia won it for the first time because they had decided even before they boarded the flight that they are not going to get distracted and enjoy the game. Australia teams since then have followed the same approach and that's why they have had more success in India than teams that come with their noses up in the air and so don't see the ground below them.

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Funds, not an issue

With India's economy growing at a good pace the infrastructure has improved beyond recognition and getting better than in the Old Powers too. That said, there's always room for improvement and with funds no longer an issue it's imperative that this World Cup showcases the best of India to the thousands of visitors from overseas who will be coming down to support their country's team and to witness the matches in the World Cup.

While the BCCI has no control over travel and hotels they certainly do have the stadia under their umbrella and that's where the visitors will make their memories of India. While they may go for the various tour packages that are offered to see the tourist attractions, they will spend more time at the stadium in a day than anywhere else.

That's why the facilities at each ground need to be spick and span. With bucket seats now at every ground the thigh- to-thigh seating is a thing of the distant past and these seats are pretty standard all over the world. Some sections where there has been a premium charge per ticket may have leather covering or cushioning to make those seats more comfortable. What the spectators will be looking for are the conveniences and these have to be top-class.

We covered a warm-up game in Hyderabad albeit with no spectators allowed into the stadium. There are going to be a few games played here and so it was expected that the ground would be ready for the event. At the moment the Hyderabad Cricket Association is being run by a court-administered body and not elected officials. So nobody knows who is responsible for the overall administration.

Unfair on spectators

With less than a week to go for the start of the tournament the approach roads were bumpy and full of garbage strewn around. The lift taking the commentators and TV crew was dirty. The toilets were worse with no tissue paper anywhere available. Surely, with the funds that the BCCI so generouslygives to each Association every year, some part of that can be used to upgrade and improve the conveniences for the spectators because of whom the sport is so popular.

Sadly, the spectators are the ones who are taken for granted. Hopefully, the other venues are better prepared for the mega event. The BCCI has disbursed special funds to all the venues hosting the matches so there should be no excuses of lack of funds. If anything, it is the lack of will and even worse, the absence of accountability that has allowed most stadia to fall into the state they are in.

Public money, remember!

The decision at the recent AGM of BCCI to ask the Associations for proper accounting of where the funds it disbursed are spent is a brilliant one. This should not be a cosmetic exercise but a proper forensic one and only if the criteria is met, should the next disbursement be sanctioned.

These funds are after all the public's money and they should be looked after better than anybody else. There are still some days left for the tournament to start and hopefully every step taken to ensure it's a great viewing experience for all and the oversees visitors take back good memories of India.

PS: Just after the column was written, info came out that the Telengana High Court has released the attached assets of the Hyderabad cricket Association. Let's hope that in the short time left before the first World Cup match there, action will be taken to get the stadium in a condition to make it an enjoyable occasion for the spectators.

Professional Management Group