PITCH TAMPERING

MCA to wait for ICC verdict in Salgaonkar sting case

by Amit Karmarkar • Last updated on

"The ICC has also opened an inquiry. We won't carry out a parallel probe. It won't make any sense" - Abhay Apte © Getty

The Maharashtra Cricket Association will wait for the completion of International Cricket Council's (ICC) investigation with regard to the sting operation against Gahunje pitch curator Pandurang Salgaonkar.

Abhay Apte had used his MCA presidential powers to suspend Salgaonkar from all MCA roles when the story broke out on Wednesday, the day of the India-New Zealand ODI in Pune. "I had called for an emergent working committee meeting on Thursday and it has endorsed my decision," Apte told TOI.

When asked when MCA will conduct its announced probe into the incident, Apte said: "The ICC has also opened an inquiry. We won't carry out a parallel probe. It won't make any sense."

Apte indicated that ICC's anti-corruption unit will look into the matter thoroughly examining all the events leading to the alleged incident. "Salgaonkar will be given a chance to explain his side of the story. The ICC process is expected to happen in Dubai and we are expecting their verdict within two months," he said.

Despite repeated attempts by TOI to contact him, including calls and text messages, Salgaonkar remained unavailable for comments. Salgaonkar, 68, played first-class cricket from 1971 to 1982.

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