Stung by HC order, HCA to allow Andhra Bank team play in league

HYDERABAD: Stung by the High Court order, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) officials have decided to allow the Andhra Bank/Union Bank of India team play in the league for the 2020-21 season.
"We will accommodate the Andhra Bank team in the league for this season according to the court order. As the teams have only played three games thus far, it will not be a problem to include them," said HCA secretary R Vijayanand.
The HCA has also decided to suspend the league till they are able to vacate the stay on the league. "In the light of the interim stay order, you are hereby informed that all ongoing league matches stand postponed with immediate effect," Vijayanand wrote to the league committee and added that the HCA’s legal counsel’s advice is to stop the league as the court order is very clear on it.
"We are going to approach the court and get the stay vacated and then we will fight the main case," said Vijayanand.
About resolving the issue, he said: "It’s for the AGM to decide on what to do about the Andhra Bank team. One institution, one team is the idea. When SBH was amalgamated into SBI, the teams too were merged and same is the case with the Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank."
Sources said the matter wouldn’t have come to such a heed if the HCA officials had taken note of the earlier court order given on 10/12/2020. "The officials ignored the court order and went ahead with the league. If only they had shown some sensitivity on the issue, things could have been resolved," a source said.
It is also learnt that the HCA secretary had asked joint secretary Naresh Sharma to include Andhra Bank team in the league but the latter wanted the Apex Council to take a decision on it. "The Apex Council meeting hasn't been held for a long time due to various reasons. As such, no decision was taken on the earlier court order and a peeved Andhra Bank went to court again," the sources said.