India-WI ODI free passes tussle: MCA adopting 'wait and watch' policy

The Mumbai Cricket Association, on Wednesday, said it has adopted a wait and watch policy on the issue of complimentary passes for the October 29 India-West Indies ODI, in Mumbai, but made it clear that the number allotted at this point is too low.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, on Wednesday, shifted the second ODI from Indore to Visakhapatnam after the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association expressed its inability to host the match on the issue of lower number of complimentary passes. Mumbai is scheduled to host the fourth ODI on October 29.

As per the new BCCI constitution, 90 per cent tickets of the total capacity of the stadium should be put on sale and only 10 per cent be kept as complimentary tickets with state units.

In case of Wankhede Stadium, its total capacity is 33,000. As per the new rule, the MCA will get 3,300 complimentary passes, of which 5 per cent are to be given to the BCCI, a senior MCA official said on conditions of anonymity on Wednesday.

"We are adopting a wait and watch stand on the subject of complimentary passes. We haven't yet written to the BCCI. We will go as per the stand taken by the other associations, which are hosting matches of India-West Indies series," the official explained.

According to other officials in the cricket body, MCA has been getting 20 per cent of the total tickets as complimentary passes, which are given to its members, government organisations like police, and the municipal corporation.

Officials said it will be "impossible" for the cricket body to distribute passes to such agencies if the number is as low of 1,750.

"Sometimes officials of government agencies expect complimentary passes for extending co-operation and the association has to oblige them," a source added.

In case of Mumbai, each member affiliated with MCA is given four passes, and there are over 300 members, adding up to 1,200 passe.

Apart from MCA, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also opposed the curtailing of the complimentary passes. CAB President Sourav Ganguly has stated that it won't be possible to host the first India-West Indies T20 International on November 4 if the matter is not resolved.