CAL to continue its activities, Gopal Singh made caretaker

Taking a bold stand, the Cricket Association Lucknow (CAL) has decided to continue its activities for the development of the game in the state capital even though its bank account has been frozen following an alleged conspiracy by a rival group that claims to be the genuine body.

CAL will carry out the process of age verification of under-16 cricketers on Thursday in which players from Faizabad, Bahraich and hosts Lucknow will be participating. The zonal selection league of under-16 teams will also be organised in Lucknow from April 28. It will also send a 14-member women’s team to Kolkata to participate in the AllIndia Cricket Tournament starting April 24. The under-16 zonal matches are followed by under-19 events in May.

“We are not going to give up before the wrong people and will continue to fight against all odds,” CAL secretary Khalik M Khan told HT on Wednesday.

“We are trying to get our account operational again through legal means. If required, we will ask the UP Cricket Association to provide us cash so that we can hold zonal matches and other activities,” he said.

He, however, confirmed he had taken a three-month vacation from routine activities of the game and for the time being one of the joint secretaries Gopal Singh would take care of the activities.

“I have taken leave for three months on health grounds and will be back in action soon,” he said. It is learnt that CAL’s account at the LDA building branch of UCO Bank in Lalbagh was frozen last week. CAL’s women’s cricket boss Jasbeer Singh was denied a payment of Rs 8,000 against a cheque. CAL has been unable to operate its account which reportedly has deposits of over Rs 50 lakh.

CAL WILL CARRY OUT THE PROCESS OF AGE VERIFICATION OF UNDER16 CRICKETERS ON THURSDAY IN WHICH PLAYERS FROM FAIZABAD, BAHRAICH AND HOSTS LUCKNOW WILL BE PARTICIPATING