Whose Cup is it anyway?

HYDERABAD, June 12: Is it Siyaram's Cup Invitation Tournament or Moin-ud-Dowlah three-nation cricket Tournament ?Television viewers were in...

HYDERABAD, June 12: Is it Siyaram’s Cup Invitation Tournament or Moin-ud-Dowlah three-nation cricket Tournament ?

Television viewers were in for a surprise when Doordarshan showed it as Moin-ud-Dowlah cricket tournament. Was there a communication lapse on the part of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) who are conducting this tournament to honour three of their former cricketers — Eddie Aibara, S R Mehta and Ghulam Ahmed.

It may be recalled that this tournament was christened as the three-nation Siyaram’s Cup and it was also announced at a media conference that Moin-ud-Dowlah would be held as per schedule in September.

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But today’s TV announcement has added another twist to the already controversy-ridden tournament which in principle is being organised by Arshad Ayub’s Green Turf Sports Management (GTSM). The HCA, which came in for bitter criticism from the former secretary Man Singh for not disclosing the sponsorship amount, has somewhat been vague in its decisions. It has already given three clarifications on the tournament. At the press conference they had said that HCA would get Rs two lakh and each of the three beneficiaries Rs one lakh from GTSM, which will get the gate collections besides the instadia advertisement rights. It is said that it was an agreement signed between GTMS and Siyaram and HCA was no way connected with Siyaram.

But after a few days, the association’s secretary M Ranga Reddy came up with a statement that GTMS will share the gate money with HCA.

The cause for which the tournament is being held is noble, but what puzzles everyone is why is HCA not being forthright in its decisions.