The T20 madness is coming soon. Another exciting season of IPL is coming back. The tournament is commencing on March 22. The inaugural match will be played between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings. But before commencing the season, Rajasthan Royals received a setback. The Rajasthan Royals find themselves in a bit of a pickle as conflicts between state associations have led to them losing their home ground for the upcoming IPL 2024.
Homeless Situation for Rajasthan Royals:
As the clock ticks down to the start of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), all eyes are on the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur and the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) office. The Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) has thrown a curveball by locking down both these cricket hubs. This bold move comes on the heels of the RCA’s plea to extend their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the RSSC.
In an unexpected twist, the RSSC chose not to extend the MoU, leading to the closure of the RCA office and the renowned Sawai Mansingh Stadium along with its cricket academy. Karan Singh, the Sports Officer, revealed that the original MoU expired last July, and the subsequent one concluded on February 21.
Despite earnest efforts, the renewal process hit a roadblock, leaving a substantial outstanding sum of INR 34 crore. The cricket buzz now includes not just IPL anticipation but also speculation on how this off-field drama will impact the Rajasthan Royals’ IPL journey.
The Financial Dispute:
The initial MoU expired back in July last year, and the second one concluded on February 21. However, due to payment issues, a fresh MoU has been hammered out. The twists in this off-field saga continue, adding an extra layer of suspense to the cricketing narrative. Fans are left wondering how this will impact the upcoming games and the Rajasthan Royals’ journey in the IPL.
Sports officer Karan Singh said, “MoU has ended. We have sent them notices many times. Rs 34 crore is due and hence we are here to take possession (of the academy and stadium), the process that is needed to renew the MoU once it ended wasn’t done.”
Vaibhav Gehlot’s Words:
The Rajasthan Royals are gearing up for their opening match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium against the Lucknow Super Giants on March 24. However, there’s a twist in the tale as the Rajasthan franchise might need to relocate their home matches. Vaibhav Gehlot, President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, revealed that they’ve asked for an extension on their MoU.
Furthermore, Gehlot mentioned that the financial disagreement between the RCA and the sports council is now being looked into by legal authorities. The cricketing community waits with bated breath to see how this unfolds and what it means for the Rajasthan Royals’ upcoming matches.
Gehlot said, “We have sent a request that the MoU should be extended, but it wasn’t extended. We received notice two days back that the academy (RCA) and the stadium (Sawai Mansingh Stadium) will be seized by the sports council. The monetary case between RCA and the sports council is in court.”
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