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Panchkula, India: With just over 200 spectators and about the same number of officials, media and policemen, the second edition of the Indian Cricket League's (ICL) Edelweiss 20s Challenge started on a rather sedate note, that locals described as a "flop show" on Sunday evening.
As if that was not embarrassing enough, the event organisers were slapped with a notice by the Panchkula district administration asking them to explain how they started it in the first place without official permission.
Poor response
Despite improving the overall look of the stadium with bright yellow and red chairs and other facilities compared to its inaugural event at the Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium here last year, the ICL event failed to attract a good crowd.
There were just over 200 genuine spectators in the stadium where the capacity of seats has been increased from 6,000 to nearly 10,000.
And the fireworks at the event inauguration were not limited to the skies over the beautifully floodlit stadium. The Panchkula district administration slapped a notice to the ICL event organisers for holding the event without mandatory permission, seeking a reply within two days.
Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajender Kataria, confirmed the notice had been given to the ICL organisers.
Technical pitfalls
"We got the communication seeking permission on March 3 for the event, starting March 12. It was sought at short notice. Even as we were looking into the matter, the event was re-scheduled to an earlier date [March 9] and started without permission. They have been asked to explain why it was started without permission," Kataria said.
Big names - the likes of West Indian Brian Lara and Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq - were not there as the local team Chandigarh Lions clashed with Ahmedabad Rockets. The Lions lost by 19 runs.
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