Ness Wadia

Mohali, May 27: Punjab Cricket Association president I.S. Bindra today played down the spat between Kings XI Punjab co-owner Ness Wadia and a senior police officer during Friday’s match here against the Deccan Chargers.

Yesterday, Mohali senior superintendent of police Ranbir Singh Khatra had complained that Wadia had used “derogatory” language and alleged that police had stolen team T-shirts and liquor from the pavilion.

Bindra described the controversy as a “media creation” though he accepted that there had been a spat. “What happened between Ness and the SSP, I was told, was an unpleasant dialogue. I reached the place where the two were present and we all three parted as gentlemen. Whatever happened between three gentlemen I attribute it to the media,” he said.

Bindra denied Khatra’s claim that the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) owed the police Rs 1.88 crore for the security arrangements at the stadium. Khatra had said the PCA must pay up since the Indian Premier League was a venture to make profits. Bindra said no money was due to the police. “We have an arrangement. We provide money to the police welfare fund.”

The PCA chief said the BCCI and the IPL were “non-profit-making organisations”. If they earned millions, they also spent millions to build infrastructure and promote cricket, he added.

Khatra was not available for comment.

Wadia, expected to reach Chandigarh today, has delayed his arrival by a day. “He (may have delayed it) because of the controversy. We hope he will be here tomorrow when the Kings XI play the Rajasthan Royals,” a PCA official said.