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Want to ensure MCA matches are not shifted to private grounds: Sharad Pawar

Pawar finally broke his silence on his challenger Vijay Patil's suggestion that the senior administrator should not contest the forthcoming association polls and instead give his blessings to him.

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MCA vice-president Ravi Savant, president Sharad Pawar and vice-president hopeful Ashish Shelar at a meeting of the Pawar-Bal Mahaddalkar group in Kandivli on Saturday
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Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) incumbent president Sharad Pawar, who is seeking another term, on Thursday said that his resolve to contest forthcoming association polls has been strengthened after rival group said that venue of some MCA matches should be shifted to a private ground.

Pawar finally broke his silence on his challenger Vijay Patil's suggestion that the senior administrator should not contest the forthcoming association polls and instead give his blessings to him.

Pawar said that had Patil not asked for matches that are beneficial to the MCA to be played at his stadium — DY Patil Cricket Stadium — he would have opted out of the contest.

"Firstly, one of the candidates who is contesting along with Mr Patil said in an interview, which appeared in one of the newspapers, that one of the grievances is that MCA has not given matches to a private stadium and we want to take some of the matches there, so, we have decided to contest," said Pawar.

The Nationalist Congress Party chief, who for a while hadn't said anything on this issue, made his first appearance on Saturday for Pawar-Mahaddalkar group to meet the voters ahead of the biennial elections to be held on June 17.

"They should make their position clear that we will never ask any position or any game which is beneficial to the MCA to be shifted to some other stadium. If this condition would have been accepted, probably, I would have not contested also," Pawar added.

On Thursday, Patil had said: "I have great respect for Sharad Pawar, who has held important positions in political and public life, but the time is upon him to bless my group, 'Cricket First' (instead of contesting elections again).

"I have filed my nomination for the post of president, not to contest against him individually, but against a system that's bereft of ideas and needs out of the box thinking on several aspects of running the affairs of cricket in the jurisdiction that comes under the purview of the MCA and the usage of Wankhede Stadium and multi-functional facility."

Pawar said the prime responsibility of MCA president is to protect the interests of the association. "I, Ravi Savant (vice president, MCA) and Ashish Shelar and all our colleagues are contesting the elections and our prime responsibility is to protect the interests of MCA. If we have to organise any match it has to be at MCA's Wankhede Stadium because it is association's stadium and that is why we have constructed it," said the MCA president.

"Secondly, a Test match or an ODI cannot be organised just in any ground or stadium. The venue has to be approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC). In Mumbai, there are two grounds which have been approved by the ICC, the Wankhede Stadium and the Cricket Club of India. And you cannot take the match elsewhere, to any venue, which is not recognised by the ICC," he added.

Pawar said that the MCA would suffer losses if they give away IPL matches to other venues.

"One can say why not give other matches. We all have no objection to give practice matches, Ranji Trophy matches and other games. But talking about giving IPL matches from which the MCA earns a few lakh rupees per match, if the match is given elsewhere, then MCA will suffer losses. So, those who want to contest elections and manage the affairs of the association, their main responsibility is to protect each and every part of the organisation."

Pawar, who has been a part of the MCA for the last 15 years, said his only interest is to take the game forward.

"I have only one interest and that is to take Mumbai cricket forward. We brought the BCCI headquarters to Mumbai, the Wankhede stadium was renovated, we opened MCA academies in Bandra Kurla Complex and another facility in Kandivali. We still have to do lot of work to take Mumbai cricket forward," he said.

He added: "We want to develop cricket in the eastern suburb of Thane. We have marked a plot of land. The youngsters have to travel a long way to play cricket plus they are also burdened with academics. So, we have to build a facility there."

After Sachin Tendulkar's induction in the advisory panel of the BCCI, Pawar said the MCA, too, would like to extend an invitation to the batting maestro and pick his brains for the betterment of the game.

"We will be very happy if he spares time for MCA. In fact, some discussions have already taken place with him and if he takes some responsibility. We already have Cricket Improvement committee, cricket selection committee, and if Sachin spares some time, then MCA will be extremely happy.

"We are going to extend an invitation to him, we are going to discuss with him. We want to use his talent and his guidance for budding cricketers," he concluded.

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