Mumbai : Former batsman and coach Sandeep Patil faced defeat in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections. Patil (66) had to face defeat against Amol Kale, the Maharashtra ruling party-backed candidate, in the elections held on Thursday. Kale was the vice president in the previous MCA government.
Kale was supported by Mumbai BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, who is the newly-elected treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). While Kale got 183 votes out of 370 votes, Patil got 158 votes.
After his win, Kale said he respected Patil’s contribution to cricket and would like to use his experience. During the election, we were only adversaries, not rivals. I continue to have respect for Sandeep, he said.
He has been a great cricketer for India and we will not hesitate to use his experience and expertise, the newly-elected president said.
He said he was always sure of victory as his candidature was supported by both Pawar and Shelar.
Later, Patil told reporters that he had accepted the decision in the right spirit. Patil said, I congratulate them. I am ready to help them in any way possible. My team and I have accepted this defeat, it was a fair election. I wholeheartedly support the new body. I hope he will take Mumbai cricket further.
Meanwhile, Patil panel candidate Ajinkya Naik, who was a member of the managing committee in the previous body, created history by winning the secretary’s post by securing a record 286 votes. Naik had the support of the Sharad Pawar panel in the association.
Naik, who created history by bagging a record number of votes, said the new MCA is a blend of youth and experience and will help the association achieve excellence.