Courtesy: Google
The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has been instructed to remove Mohammad Azharuddin stand from Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) home ground Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, mentioning a conflict of interest for the former HCA president, asserted a report from CricBuzz. The HCA are also ordered to ensure that tickets on Azharuddin’s name shouldn’t be printed following the implementation of the verdict.
Justice V. Eswaraiah, the HCA’s ethics officer and Ombudsman, delivered the order on April 19. Eswaraiah said it’s a matter of conflict of interest as Azharuddin favoured himself as HCA president by naming a stand on his name at the stadium. "The fact that there has been no ratification/modification of the decision by the General Body further strengthens the case against the Respondent No. 1 (Azharuddin), as the Respondent No. 1 has exceeded his authority to benefit himself," declared Eswaraiah in his verdict.
On February 28, 2025, a Hyderabad-based outfit Lords Cricket Club (LCC) filed a complaint, remarking that the decision to name the stand after Azharuddin contravened the Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations of the HCA. LCC requested Eswaraiah to nullify Azharuddin’s action of naming the North Stand by his name, and it be continued as the VVS Laxman Stand for all practical purposes. It also added that Azharuddin’s action was illicit and arbitrary as the General Body or the Apex Council didn’t deliver any decision to allow the ‘Mohammed Azharuddin Stand’ above the name of the ‘WS Laxman Pavilion’.
Azharuddin denies charges of conflict of interest
Azharuddin has refuted all charges of conflict of interest and remarked that he will approach the High Court to challenge Eswaraiah’s order. In an Apex Council meet held on November 25, 2019, which was presided over by Azharuddin, a decision was taken to name the North Stand after his name, which was then called the VVS Laxman Pavilion.
"There’s no conflict of interest in this. I don’t want to comment, I don’t want to stoop to this level. The cricketing world will laugh at the association. 17 years of cricket, almost 10 years as captain of the side, and with distinction," said former Team India captain Azharuddin in a conversation with The Hindu.
