Power Cut Before High-Stakes IPL Clash in Hyd

The IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 5 is set to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal.

However, less than a day before the match, the stadium faced a power outage because the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) hadn’t paid a bill of Rs 1.63 crore.

The HCA had been ignoring reminders about the bill since February 2024, leading the power company to disconnect the electricity due to the bill being unpaid for seven years.

Despite trying to delay payment through the court, the HCA was directed to pay 50% immediately and the rest by May 2022, and they made some payments accordingly.

Although they requested to waive the surcharge due to COVID-19 impacts and cricket activities, the power company declined, citing rules about extra charges for late payments.

Now, the power company demands the full surcharge within 15 days, threatening disconnection otherwise.

This adds to concerns about the stadium’s amenities, which were criticized last year due to issues like dirty toilets and faulty facilities. With the lack of power supply, the situation may worsen for both the teams and the audience attending the match.