Hyderabad Cricket Association is yet to solve the mystery surrounding the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup. And, it's official now that whoever wins the 2011 edition of the All India invitation tournament will only receive the ‘coated' Cup and not the original Gold Cup which still goes ‘missing'.
For the record, HCA XI and Tamil Nadu are playing in the on-going three-day final at Uppal Stadium. The prize distribution is scheduled for September 12.
Gold-coated Cup
It was at the last year prize distribution function some HCA officials found that it was a gold-plated Cup and not fully made of gold as was widely believed for close to six decades.
The NGRI had later confirmed that the Gold Cup now in possession of HCA is a virtual replica – gold coated and not completely made of gold. The NGRI report said gold constituted only 37 per cent of the Cup and the rest was silver and copper. The Cup was valued by the NGRI at Rs. 90, 000, not Rs. 2.77 lakh as it was valued at in November 1988.
But, the mystery continues as to who switched the cup and when? “We cannot find fault with anyone unless we have proof,” insisted HCA president Arshad Ayub.
“We have also asked the Nawab Moin-ud-Dowla family members to give us an authentication whether the Cup was made completely of gold or not. We are waiting for their response,” Arshad said to a query.
Interestingly, despite Arshad assuring the members at a recent AGM that a formal police complaint would be lodged, nothing had happened on this front.
No complaint lodged
The line of argument is that loading a complaint with the police could lead to all the office-bearers lining up at the police station to give their statements, the HCA top bosses are in no mood to take the issue seriously for now since Hyderabad is to host the Champions League T-20 qualifying matches (September 19 to 21) and then the big match – India vs England one-dayer in October.
“We are already in a spot because of the on-going Anti-Corruption Bureau probe into alleged misappropriation of funds with regard to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium construction. So, we thought it not to open another Pandora Box by taking up the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup issue right away,” reasons out a senior HCA official on condition of anonymity.
