'I sometimes regret having played cricket': Azharuddin on removal of his name from Hyderabad stadium stand

New Delhi, April 20 Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin expressed his anguish over the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman’s directive to remove his name from the North Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Speaking to IANS, the veteran batter said it is 'heartbreaking' and 'complete disgrace to the sport'.

"It pains me deeply to say this, but I sometimes regret having played cricket. It’s heartbreaking to see individuals with little to no understanding of the game now in positions to teach and lead. It’s a complete disgrace to the sport," he told IANS.

Azharuddin said he will take legal action and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to intervene in the matter.

"I am determined to pursue legal action against this injustice, and I urge the BCCI to intervene and take appropriate action. This issue isn’t isolated - Sunrisers Hyderabad also had a dispute with the association overpasses, highlighting a pattern of mismanagement and conflict," the former captain said.

"What’s unfolding is beyond comprehension, and it hurts me on a personal level. I was not allowed to contest the HCA elections, simply because I exposed the corruption within the system. That truth made me a target," he added.

Justice (Retd) V. Eswaraiah, who serves as the ethics officer for the HCA, made the decision based on a petition submitted by Lords Cricket Club, a member unit of the state association.

The petition accused former HCA president Azharuddin of misusing his position by making arbitrary decisions. Specifically, it alleged that Azharuddin violated HCA rules by participating in an Apex Council meeting as the then-president in December 2019, during which a resolution was passed to name the North Stand after him - just a month after he assumed office. As per the HCA constitution, such a resolution requires ratification by the General Body.

Azharuddin served as the president of the HCA from September 2019 to September 2023.

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