06 February,2018 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Harit N Joshi
Representation pic
It's been five months since the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) suspended its curator, former pacer Pandurang Salgaoncar after allegedly agreeing to tamper with the pitch in a television sting operation ahead of the second ODI between India and New Zealand at Pune Though the ICC investigation team reached Pune the following day to probe into the incident and conduct relevant interviews, there have been no updates thereafter. On Friday, MCA chief Abhay Apte shot off an email to the ICC chief executive Dave Richardson to provide a timeframe for the investigation process to be completed.
Too long
"The purpose of the email is not to put any pressure on the investigation process. Nor does it indicate or urge the authorities to speed up the whole process in any way. When the incident happened, the ICC expected the investigation to wrap up in a couple of months. But it has taken quite some time now and the purpose of the email was to only get a timeframe for the process to be completed," an MCA official told mid-day.
Guidelines required
It is stated in the email that once the ICC's investigation is concluded, it will help the MCA to act accordingly against the guilty. "Salgaoncar was suspended immediately when the sting operation was televised on day of the match.
"It is important to take proper, conclusive action once the investigations are completed. If Salgaoncar is not guilty, he will be back in the system. And if he is found guilty, proper punishment as per rules, will be meted out," said the official.
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In the sting operation, Salgaoncar was seen taking unaccredited reporters to the pitch before the second ODI of the NZ series. Salgaoncar had also predicted 337 runs on the pitch. New Zealand managed 230-9 after electing to bat. India chased the target in 46 overs to win by six wickets.
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