Game not yet over for Deccan, all eyes on arbitrator

Despite being reports doing rounds that Deccan Chargers were terminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL), the fact is that they have one last hope.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

New Delhi: Despite reports doing the rounds that Deccan Chargers were terminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL), they still have one last hope as they can’t be terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) just yet. The Court appointed arbitrator, retired Supreme Court judge CK Thakkar, served a status quo order on BCCI’s termination notice to Chargers. Earlier, cash-strapped Deccan Chronicles Holdings Ltd (DCHL) on Friday failed to give Rs 100 crore Bank Guarantee to BCCI, as directed by the Bombay High Court. DCHL sought an extension to Friday`s deadline until October 15 to submit an "irrevocable and unconditional" Bank Guarantee but the High Court refused to grant further time. Justice S J Kathawala declined to give them more time, saying the earlier deadline of October 9 had been extended by three days to accommodate them. The court had on October 1 asked DCHL to give the bank guarantee which would be in force for a period of one year. Board of Control for Cricket in India had in September taken the decision to terminate the contract after an emergency IPL Governing Council meeting in Chennai. The DCHL had moved the Bombay High Court challenging the termination. The court had at an earlier hearing ordered DCHL to bear all expenses for IPL 6 including making payments to BCCI towards franchise, players and support team costs. Besides, it was asked to bear the costs of conducting matches and other expenses. In the event of any default on part of DCHL, BCCI shall be entitled to invoke the bank guarantee to the extent necessary, Justice Kathawala had said. The court had on September 26 appointed retired Supreme Court judge C K Thakkar as arbitrator to resolve within three months the dispute between BCCI and DCHL over the termination of Deccan Chargers franchise.