BCCI to challenge S Sreesanth's ban lift

The lifetime ban imposed on S Sreesanth was lifted by a single judge bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday, but BCCI have decided to appeal against the decision. 

 “Yes, the legal team has studied the Kerala High Court order. The order has been passed by a single judge bench. As per the natural nomenclature, the BCCI has the right to appeal to a larger bench of the Kerala High Court. Therefore, we will be appealing against the overturn of ban at the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.

Sreesanth has played 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10 T20 Internationals for India but according to the zero tolerance policy on corruption, the Indian board has denied softening its stance against the pacer. The court had earlier questioned BCCI on Sreesanth's petition of the lifting of his life-ban after he was acquitted of all the charges.

The cricket board had replied saying,“The decision of the sessions court to acquit the petitioner from the criminal charges has no impact whatsoever on the decision of the internal disciplinary committee of the BCCI to ban the petitioner from playing cricket tournaments organised by the BCCI and/or its affiliates.”

In response, the court questioned the BCCI Disciplinary Committee whether the petitioner(Sreesanth) was guilty of match-fixing, corruption and gambling and violation of the internal disciplinary rules of the BCCI, to which the board replied,“We don’t agree with the order. It definitely needs to be challenged and within a week the appeal would be filed in the Kerala high court. We were always clear on this case as the board is firm on its zero tolerance policy,” AFP reported a BCCI official as saying. The standard of proof required under a penal statute was much higher than the proof required for a disciplinary inquiry, it had said.