By Manish Goyal
Even as BCCI is yet to announce the schedule of IPL-2025 matches, a war outside the SMS stadium has started brewing up.
The ad hoc committee of Rajasthan Cricket Academy has asked Rajasthan State Sports Council to rent them SMS stadium where the matches of Rajasthan Royals are scheduled to take place.
The convenor of adhoc committee of RCA Jaideep Bihani has written letter to sports secretary Niraj K Pawan asking him handover the stadium for preparations. Biyani has written that BCCI has mandated RCA to organise the IPL matches.
On the other hand Niraj K Pawan told The BuckStopper that the government keen to organise IPL matches.
“We much get IPL matches in Jaipur. It doesn't matter who conducts. If BCCI tells RCA to organise, we have no objection. There is no dispute,” he said.
Pawan said that SMS stadium belongs to RSSC and RCA doesn't have its own stadium.
RCA had an agreement with RSSC regarding the use of stadium for cricketing purpose against a fixed payment and maintenance of stadium including electricity bill.
The five-year term of the MoU which was last renewed on February 22, 2018 between the two bodies expired on February 22, 2024.
“Since the expiry, there has been no fresh contract between RCA and RSSC. We have started preparation for the IPL matches,” Pawan said.
RSSC and Rajasthan Royals jointly organised IPL 2024 matches
Last year when the contract between RSSC and RCA had ended, BCCI had given mandate to RSSC and Rajasthan Royals to conduct matches in Jaipur sidelining the adhoc committee of RCA.
Rajasthan Royals vice president Rajeev Khanna said that the team is ready to play in Jaipur.
“So far we have not entered into any agreement with RCA or RSSC. We will follow whatever BCCI decides,” he said.
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