Kapil’s Devils could have come on their own: BCCI

BCCI said '83 WC winning team could have come on their own at felicitation ceremony of T20 champs.

Stoutly defending themselves against criticism for not inviting members of the 1983 World Cup winning team at the felicitation ceremony of Twenty20 World champions, BCCI said they could have come on their own as it was a proud moment for every Indian.

“It was a proud moment for all. They (former champions) should have come even without the invites. We had just 12 hours to organise the function,” BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla, said.

“We had informed those former players, who hailed from Mumbai but it was not possible to send invites to all players as they were scattered across the nation,” Shukla who was here to attend UPCA’s annual meeting, said.

BCCI drew flak from fans and media for stealing the limelight from the heroes at the felicitation ceremony in Wankhede stadium.

Shukla blamed the electronic media for blowing out of proportion the issue of players’ sitting in the back-rows.

“It was some TV channels, who created furore over this. Dilip Vengsarkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were sitting in the front-row,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of launching state’s own Twenty20 league he said, “it depended on sponsor and that UPCA was concentrating on the betterment of the game at the district level.”

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Meanwhile, Shukla was again appointed as UPCA’s secretary while Vijay Chopra was appointed as the chairman of the selection panel at the annual meeting of the Association.