The Mumbai Cricket Association is now ready to ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to give them an Australia vs India match in place of 2016 World T20 semi final.
The reason for this decision is to avoid the situation in which Pakistan might qualify for the semi final of the world cup. Wankhede Stadium is hosting one of the semi finals and there is a danger that Hindu extremist party Shiv Sena would protest against the Pakistani team once again.
Shiv Sena workers also disturbed the meeting last month which was held in Wankhede Stadium between the officials of PCB and BCCI and it had to be called off.
The MCA’s managing committee meeting was held on Sunday during which this decision was taken. The Australia vs India match is to be held in Chennai while Delhi and Mumbai will host the two semi finals, according to the World T20 proposed schedule sent to the ICC by BCCI for approval.
Chennai is not hosting any Indian match of the World Cup T20 and there are questions about the organization of India-Australia match.
A BCCI official says that there is no problem in allotting Australia vs India match to MCA after their request which is best scenario not only for MCA but also for all of us.
During the upcoming T20 world cup, Dharmasala Stadium will host the Pakistan vs India match while due to security situation, no Pakistani league match will be played in Maharasthra.
An official of MCA said that MCA President will talk with BCCI President about the change of venues as Pakistani qualification for semi finals will lead to law & order problem at Wankhede. Therefore, he wants to replace the semi final with Australia-India match.
Still there is another problem. For Indian tour in December, Pakistan Cricket Board asked permission from Pakistani Govt. and now the PCB might again take permission from the govt. to tour India for the 2016 World T20. Keeping in mind the level of protests Shiv Sena conducted against Pakistanis participation in different sports in India, there is a danger that chances of Pakistani T20 team under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi might reduce.