The India women's team has lost out on a day's preparation ahead of the World T20 next month because of an ongoing tussle between the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the BCCI, and Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji is "very upset" because she believes the men's team would not have been treated the same way.
The women's team was scheduled to start a week-long preparatory camp at Wankhede Stadium from Tuesday, but the MCA refused to host them because of their disagreements with the BCCI. The BCCI confirmed the camp would begin at the Brabourne Stadium (CCI) from Wednesday.
"I'm very upset that the Indian women's team could not start the camp over the venue issue and I don't think this treatment would ever be meted out to Virat Kohli's men's team. Why these different set of rules for men and women?" Edulji told the Indian Express. "The camp should have started. It's preparation for the World Cup, no less. Is this the way the women's team are going to be treated? CoA has given clear directions that the camp should happen today (Tuesday). Why did this situation arise? Why didn't GM [Operations Saba Karim] manage this? He gave us the assurance that he is working on it."
The MCA had expressed its disappointment with the BCCI after the CoA moved the fourth India-West Indies ODI from Wankhede to the Brabourne Stadium because of the absence of an authority to oversee the functioning of the state association. The MCA was being governed by its own CoA, but their term had ended on September 15 and CoA chief Vinod Rai explained that the MCA had subsequently not "legally authorised" a working group to oversee its functioning once its CoA vacated office.
Unhappy with the shift of the ODI and claiming that the BCCI had not replied to queries on the same, the MCA challenged the board's decision by moving the Bombay High Court, where a bench is likely to hear the matter on Wednesday.
India will kick-off the World T20 with the opening match against New Zealand on November 9 in Guyana.