Kotla verdict in 48 hours

The Kotla verdict is expected any time — in the next 24 to 48 hours. The International Cricket Council officials, currently handling the issue, are close to passing the judgment. ICC general manager Dav Richardson and Chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle are the nominated adjudicators on the matter.

On Wednesday, they were believed to be studying the tapes of the infamous December 27 match between India and Sri Lanka which was stopped for what the match referee eventually said was an unfit pitch. “We’re studying the tapes. You can certainly expect the verdict in the next two days,” said one of the officials.

Madugalle is currently in Hobart as the match referee for the ongoing Australia-Pakistan. Richardson is back in Dubai after his Christmas vacation in South Africa.

Richardson and Madugalle will pass their verdict after studying the tapes, match referee’s report and the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s reply to the match referee’s report.

According to ICC sources, Madugalle was supplied with a CD of the match. If the two officials uphold match referee Alan Hurst’s observation, Kotla could face a ban up to two years. It can escape with a fine if their conclusion is otherwise.

Delhi’s hopes of hosting a World Cup match will depend on the verdict although its cause got a boost when ICC president David Morgan said it will be unfortunate if the Capital city were to lose out on a match of the tournament in 2011.