IPL: SRH claim Hyderabad Cricket Association intimidated and blackmailed them for complimentary tickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad manager Srinath TB in an email to Hyderabad Cricket Association treasurer CJ Srinivas has accused the state unit, specifically its president Jagan Mohan Rao Arshinapally of “intimidation, coercion and blackmailing” for free complimentary IPL tickets.

Srinath has further stated that should the issue isn’t resolved, the franchise would request the BCCI to change its home venues from Hyderabad. The Indian Express understands that the issue has also been brought to the attention of the BCCI.

“For several years, HCA has been allocated 50 complimentary tickets in the F12A box, as a part of the 3,900 complimentary tickets given to you. This seating capacity of 50 in the above-said box is as per the manifest,” stated the email shared with The Indian Express by an HCA official under the condition of anonymity.

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Srinath also mentioned that the franchise had a good working relationship with the HCA for the last 12 years, but it has taken a bitter turn in the last couple of years because of the complimentary tickets. Notably, Jagan Mohan Rao took charge of the HCA in October 2023.

“All these unprofessional threats and actions by HCA, especially by the current HCA president, make it evident that you don’t want Sunrisers to play at your stadium. If that is the case, please let me know in writing so that we can inform BCCI, the Telangana Government, and our Top management that you wish for us to move to another venue, and we will move,” Srinath further stated in the email.

Srinath would claim that during SRH’s last encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants on the boxes was locked up the HCA officials. “You locked the F3 (Corporate box) box, refusing to open it unless 20 extra free tickets were given to you. Mr Kiran had attempted to address this issue directly with you to prevent escalation, but you still refused to open the box till one hour before the start of the game. This act of threatening and blackmailing for complimentary tickets, just few hours before the start of our game is not only illegal but also unacceptable as it raises serious concerns about the working relationship between our organizations,” the email reads.

The stadium, built and operated by the HCA is handed over to SRH for the duration of the IPL.

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Jagan Mohan Rao, though has denied even such a mail was sent by the SRH. “HCA did not receive any official emails from SRH management. There is no truth in the news being circulated on social media and some websites. If emails are indeed received, what is the conspiracy behind leaking that information from unknown emails instead of HCA or SRH official emails? This is a malicious campaign by some people to tarnish the reputation of HCA-SRH. Are these emails fake or real? To know this, media should also take a clear explanation from SRH,” the press note quoted Rao as saying.

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