On Friday, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray’s comment was addressed by Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), when selecting venues for major games such as the World Cup final, has to make sure they do not give preference over, side with, or partially discriminate against any particular city.
Mumbai gave the Indian team a warm reception upon winning the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy. Large audiences anxious to meet their stars were drawn by the huge roadshow organized by the BCCI. A raucous crowd cheered the BCCI’s recognition of the group at the legendary Wankhede Stadium.
Aaditya Thackeray, who saw the enormous turnout during the Indian cricket team’s march, highlighted Mumbai’s importance as a location for important cricket matches. Aaditya pleaded with the Indian cricket board not to move any further World Cup finals from Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
“Yesterday’s celebration in Mumbai is also a strong message to the BCCI… Never take away a World Cup final from Mumbai!,” Thackeray had written on X.
“Ahmedabad ground has a capacity of 1,30,000”- Rajeev Shukla
In response to the comment, Vice President of the BCCI, Rajeev Shukla, said that, under cricket board regulation, a specific city cannot always host the final.
“It is BCCI’s policy that where the final should take place. It cannot always be given to a particular city. There has been a final match — 1987 World Cup — in Kolkata also, and Kolkata is considered as Mecca. So it can’t be decided that it should always happen in a particular city,” Shukla told PTI.
“There are semi-finals and finals which have taken place in Mumbai. Similarly, the Narendra Modi Stadium has got a capacity of 1,30,000, and we go by capacity also,” he continued. Kolkata (Eden Gardens) has got a big capacity, around 80,000 spectators (approx. 66,000) can be accommodated. Similarly, other cities also,” he added.
Unfortunately, the Indian cricket team lost in the final against Australia and this led to the most expensive collapse for Indian cricket, including its supporters across the country.
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