Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Two teams from Bihar turn up to play against Mumbai in Patna, scuffle between officials

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Ranji Trophy 2023-24: In one of a kind incident, two teams turned up for Bihar to play their Ranji Trophy 2023-24 match against Mumbai at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna.

Notably, the scenario was the result of the ongoing scuffle between Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president Rakesh Tiwary and secretary Amit Kumar. BCA later released a statement and blamed suspended secretary Amit for coming up with a fake team attacking the officials on the gate. The match started around 11 AM only after Patna Police interrupted.

Tiwary blasted Kumar for picking a Bihar squad despite being suspended. He pointed out at the talented players picked by him in the squad.

“We have picked the team on merit and that is the right team. You see the talent that is coming from Bihar. We have a cricketer (Sakib Hussain), who is picked in the IPL. We have a 12-year-old prodigy making his debut in the game. The other is being picked by the secretary who is suspended, so it can’t be the real team,” he told The Indian Express.

“There was a life-threatening attack on BCA’s OSD Manoj Kumar by those involved in the fake team. The miscreants have been identified and action will be taken against them,” the BCA release said.

BCA president Rakesh Tiwary also blamed Aditya Verma, the original petitioner in the 2013 spot-fixing case, for creating the ruckus at the stadium.

“His only job is to ruin Bihar’s image. He is creating a nuisance because his son was not picked. He tries to put pressure on us, but we have never listened to him as we pick teams according to merit,” Tiwary told The Indian Express.

However, secretary Amit hit back saying, “He is blaming Aditya Verma, but why was he silent when he was on his side? BCA is the only association where the secretary has no power."

Aditya Verma accused Tiwary, saying Tiwary was after him for questioning his corruption. He said his son was in one of the squads because he did well in the trials.

“This is the fight between both of them. My son has done well in the trials. If my son was picked in one of the squads, is it my fault? He (Tiwary) is after me because I am questioning their corruption, they blame it on me,” he said.

Bihar, after winning the toss, reduced star-studded Mumbai to 235/9. Veteran pacer Veer Pratap Singh registered figures of 4/32.