IPL 2018 | MCA urges BCCI to follow protocol and play two play-off matches in Pune

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has asked the BCCI to allot two playoffs in the 2018 IPL to the MCA stadium due to the fact that the previous season's runners-up usually get two playoff games. The defunct Rising Pune Supergiants played at MCA en route to the final last season.

The Rising Pune Supergiants franchise turned heads last year, as they managed to reach the finals of 2017 IPL only to lose the match to the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians. With the return of the previously banned Rajasthan and Chennai franchises this season, RPS and Gujarat Lions have ended their association with the IPL.

However, MCA president Abhay Apte has insisted in a letter to IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla that the BCCI should allot two playoff matches to the MCA stadium in Pune. A copy of the letter penned by Apte, which was also accessed by TOI, had also been marked to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), CEO Rahul Johri, IPL COO Hemang Amin, and the office-bearers.

"For the past several years, we're observing a practice, which has become an unwritten rule of playing the first, and qualifier one as well as the final (of the IPL) at the venue of last year's champions and playing the eliminator and qualifier 2 matches at the venue of the runners-up team. RPS were last IPL's runners-up and their home venue was Pune.

"As such, Pune's MCA Stadium in Gahunje (which was RPS' home venue) should be the logical choice to stage the eliminator and qualifier 2 matches. Just because there's no 'Pune team' this year, we can't change history and record that this was the venue of the runners-up team of IPL10. Holding matches at Pune will also be an honour and do justice to the fan base of the IPL which has been created at Pune," Apte wrote in the letter.

The MCA Stadium in Gahunje, Pune has held multiple league and playoff matches in the IPL over the last five years. Shukla and BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary had said during the IPL Auction last month that the stadium in Gahunje, Pune had been shortlisted as a replacement venue for Jaipur should the home venue for the Rajasthan Royals not get clearance from the Rajasthan high court.

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