India Over-50’s Team Captain Shailendra Singh Cries Foul in World Cup, Steps Down As Captain Citing External Pressure From Organising Committee Member

India's preparation for the upcoming Over-50's World Cup encounter against Pakistan took a major jolt after captain Shailendra Singh stepped down from his role citing external pressure and attempt to destabilise the team. India, who lost their opening match of the tournament against England, will face Pakistan in their second match of the campaign on March 13, 2020, at the Green Point Cricket Club in Cape Town, South Africa. A senior member of the Over-50’s World Cup Committee demanded certain changes in the playing XI and also asked for the resignation of the President and head coach of IVCCI, Singh said in his statement after stepping down from his role as the captain of the Indian Over-50’s team. Over 50s Cricket World Cup 2020 Schedule in PDF: Download Full Fixtures, Match Timetable, Teams and Venue Details.

“I have backed out because my team from India was being compromised due to the actions of a senior member of the Over 50’s World Cup Committee, in the presence of the Veterans Cricket Association of South Africa,” said the erstwhile captain. “I was asked that I must include and play two specific players in the two out of the next four round-robin matches, which India is scheduled to play against Pakistan, South Africa, Wales and Namibia; and further instructed that India has to drop the President and Head Coach of IVCCI, from the Indian Selection Committee.

“The said person on record decided the selection panel of the cricket team from India. This is beyond all tenets of integrity and amounts to sports manipulation which I will, shall and can never accept nor indulge in. I cannot, with my integrity intact, continue to captain and play for the team from India in this tournament,” he added. “In my thirty-five years of impeccable record related to Indian cricket, I have never seen such attempted manipulation and blatant compromise of the integrity of cricket.”

Meanwhile, Ajoy Roy, President and Head Coach of IVCCI, was another member from the Indian contingent to step down from his position. Roy said: “The present situation is unacceptable to me. I am immensely disturbed and do not endorse the team from India playing against Pakistan today. Therefore, I have withdrawn IVCCI and myself from participating any further in the 2020 Over-50’s Cricket World Cup.”