Mohammad Azharuddin elected Hyderabad Cricket Association president

The former India captain polled 173 votes while his opponent Prakash Chand Jain managed 73 votes.

Mohammad Azharuddin has been elected as the president of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) on Friday. The former India captain polled 173 votes while his opponent Prakash Chand Jain managed 73 votes.

Independent candidate Dileep Kumar got three votes .

The victory is an official reentry of Azharuddin into Indian cricket after being accused of match-fixing in 2000 and subsequently receiving a life-long ban from playing. A court termed his ban as ‘illegal’ saying the investigation against him in the scandal wasn’t conducted appropriately.

“A lot of people have helped and encouraged me in these elections and whatever I do now is for the development of the game in Hyderabad. It will be cricket and only cricket,” Azharuddin told Mid-Day.

The 56-year-old former India international played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs was regarded as one of the most stylish batsmen of his era, captaining the country in three straight world cups in 1992, 1996 and 1999.

Azharuddin’s panel consisting of John Manoj has been elected as Vice President while Vijayanand was elected as Secretary. Naresh Sharma will be the Joint Secretary with Surender Agarwal and Anuradha  being elected to the post of treasurer and counsellor respectively.

Azharuddin has also been a Member of Parliament (MP) from Moradabad.