Sunrisers Hyderabad have threatened to move out of Hyderabad and may not play their IPL 2025 matches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, according to a report by Times of India. The 2016 winners alleged intimidation and blackmailing by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) officials for free tickets. The report added that SRH general manager, Srinath TB, has written a letter to HCA treasurer CJ Srinivas Rao where he has made it clear that the franchise will tolerate such behaviour.
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“All these unprofessional threats and actions by HCA, especially by the HCA president, make it evident that you don’t want Sunrisers to play at your stadium. If that is the case, please let me know in writing so that we can inform BCCI, the Telangana govt, and our management that you wish for us to move to another venue, and we will move,” Srinath stated in the e-mail, according to Times of India.
“We have been working with HCA for the last 12 years. Only from last season have we been facing constant issues and harassment from HCA,” he added.
SRH have played two matches at their home venue in Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2025.
“For several years, HCA has been allocated 50 complimentary tickets (F12A box) as a part of the 3,900 complimentary tickets. However, this year, you are claiming the capacity of the box to be only 30 and asking for an additional 20 complimentary tickets in a different box. When this was brought to our notice, we informed you that we shall discuss and come to a mutually amicable solution,” he wrote in the mail.
“Please note that we pay the appropriate rent for the stadium, and during the tenure of the IPL, the stadium is under our jurisdiction. But in the last game, you locked the F3 box, refusing to open it unless 20 extra free tickets were given to you. This unprofessional behaviour creates a hostile environment, making cooperation increasingly difficult,” he added.
The e-mail further alleged that this is not the first time that such an incident has taken place.
“Furthermore, we must highlight that this is not the first instance of such intimidation, threats, and coercion from HCA to our staff in the last two years. The HCA president has previously issued many threats this year, and it was brought to HCA’s notice,” the mail states further.
“Given the constant threats, coercion and blackmailing by HCA, we suggest that we go as per the signed agreement between us, as per which we will allocate 10 per cent of complimentary tickets across each stand. In light of these developments, we formally request a meeting with the apex council members at the earliest convenience to discuss and resolve this matter,” the mail added.
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