Punjab Sports Minister writes to BCCI regarding Mohali's exclusion as 2023 World Cup venue

Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has raised his voice against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not selecting Mohali as a venue for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

In a letter addressed to the BCCI, Hayer expressed his agitation and questioned the reasons behind Mohali's exclusion, citing its historical significance as a renowned sporting venue in India. The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently unveiled the complete fixtures for the 2023 World Cup, which is scheduled to commence on October 5th in India.

Ten venues were selected for the tournament, including Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Dharamshala, and Pune. However, to the disappointment of many cricket enthusiasts, Mohali, which has hosted several iconic World Cup matches in the past, including the memorable 2011 World Cup semi-final, did not make the cut.

In a letter that circulated on Twitter, Gurmeet Singh Hayer raised questions regarding the grounds on which the ICC rejected Mohali as a World Cup venue, and whether the governing body had even visited the ground before making the decision.

BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla had previously stated that Mohali did not meet the necessary criteria, prompting Hayer to demand a thorough explanation for this omission.

In a video shared on Twitter, Gurmeet Singh vehemently expressed his disapproval of any political interference against Punjab, stating, "Mohali is always the first choice for cricket fans. Discrimination against Punjab will not be tolerated at any cost. The exclusion of Punjab's Mohali from the list of host cities for the tournament was due to political interference. The Punjab government will raise this issue with the BCCI."