ICC Annual Awards: BCCI still refuses to respond to ICC's criticism

MUMBAI: The Indian cricket board on Thursday continued to remain mum on the Indian team's controversial skipping of the ICC Annual Awards function in London three days ago with its chief administrative officer refusing to react on the issue. BCCI CAO Prof Ratnakar Shetty said the board has decided not to respond to ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat's scathing criticism that the skipping of the awards function by the Indian team was a "shame". "I will not comment on that. Haroon(Lorgat) has said whatever he had to. BCCI has decided not to comment on it now.The event is over," Shetty told reporters. There have beenspeculations in the media that the invitation for the function was not sent asper protocol, but the BCCI has also chosen to remain mum on this also.The awards function was held in London on September 12 and the team,having lost the ODI series to hosts England following the tied game the previousnight at Lord's, chose to skip the ICC's event. The decision led toLorgat blaming the BCCI squarely for the controversy as he said invitations hadbeen sent to the Board a few weeks in advance. "It was quitedisappointing that the Indian team did not attend the Awards function lastnight. I know for a fact that my team had invited them some months back. Weprobably have confirmation of their likely attendance and in fact the very datewas scheduled around their availability in London. Well, they haven't andEngland team has attended," Lorgat had said after the team's no show."I know for a fact that they were invited. We sent those invitationsthrough the BCCI. Perhaps that's the question which should be asked to theBCCI," he had said.The ICC CEO had said that the huge gathering atthe ceremony was disappointed to not find Indian players. "In fact Ifeel more saddened by the number of people, in fact everybody was in attendancelast night, who were quite disappointed that India was not there. And that makesme feel more sad and unhappy," Lorgat said. Lorgat also said suchconduct and behaviour from a team like India was not expected. "It'sa great shame and disappointing that not long ago they were the number one Testteam in the World. They won the World Cup in such a great style. And there weremany fans and people looking forward to their attendance. It's a shame that theydid not attend," he said. The team management had claimed earlierthat the invite for the function came late. Team manager ShivlalYadav said he was informed only at 12 noon by an ICC communication officer bywhich time "the players were already away, some shopping, some sight-seeing asthis was their final day of stay in London." The clarification fromthe ICC was that a mail to this effect had already been sent to the BCCI, muchin advance on August 26. "The Indian team management had beeninvited to attend tonight and they were invited some weeks ago. Those who werenominated for awards have known it since 26th of August, in Canterbury, when theshort-listed names for the awards were announced," according to ICC's head ofcommunications Colin Gibson. ICC sources had also said they haveevidence by mail which confirms that the BCCI was aware of the function and hadalso agreed that the Indian team would attend it. "If it wasn't so,the Indian team ought to have left for Cardiff (the venue of the finalone-dayer) today itself and not stayed back in London on Monday," said an ICCspokesman. Shetty also refused to respond to reports aboutresumption of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan which have beenput on hold following the 26/11 terrorists attack on Mumbai. "I haveno comments on Indo-Pak series. Whenever it happens the Board will make anofficial announcement. For now nothing is chalked out or detailed for theseries," Shetty informed.