Calcutta/Mumbai: The Deccan Chargers on Saturday lost its status as an IPL team after the Bombay High Court stayed the order of the arbitrator for maintaining status quo on the matter till further hearing.
The Chargers' demise followed a month-long legal drama which peaked on Friday.
Despite failing to pay up Rs 100 crore as bank guarantee to the BCCI within the court stipulated deadline of 5pm on Friday, the Chargers had managed to side-step a burial through legal wizardry.
Late on Friday night, while BCCI was preparing to send the Chargers the sack order following its failure to pay the bank guarantee, the Hyderabad franchise had pulled a rabbit out of their hat.
"They got a court appointed arbitrator to pass a status quo order on an earlier stay order passed by the court on BCCI's decision to scrap DC's contract with IPL," said BCCI lawyer P. Raghuraman.
On Saturday, a livid BCCI appealed to the Bombay High Court to quash the arbitrator's order.
"And despite it being a non-working day, Justice Dhanuka of Bombay High Court passed a stay order on the arbitrator's order and cleared the way for the BCCI to sack DC from IPL. And now we have terminated their contract and there exists no such team as Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premiere League anymore," Raghuraman added.
In a media release, BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said: "…Notwithstanding the Hon'ble High Court's refusal to extend time to DCHL, the learned arbitrator passed the order of status quo last evening (12.10.2012). BCCI moved an appeal against the Order of Arbitrator and the same was heard today (Saturday) morning. The Hon'ble High Court was pleased to stay the order of arbitrator after hearing both the parties.
"Thus, the termination of DC franchise stands."
Though tenders for the new IPL team are yet to be floated, Hyderabad's loss might very well be Noida's gain. According to sources, the Jaypee Group seems all ready to take the Chargers' place in the IPL.
