With the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) refusing to budge from its stand on the five-year ban imposed on Kolkata Knight Riders principal owner Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood actor did not come to the Wankhede Stadium when his team was playing against Mumbai Indians here today.
Indian Premier League chairman Rajeev Shukla tweeted his displeasure and said, " ......It is unfortunate that a team owner is not able to watch an IPL match."
It was learnt that prior to the game, Khan went to the team hotel to wish the players.
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"We wrote a letter to Marine Lines police station asking them not to allow Shah Rukh Khan inside the stadium tomorrow (when Kolkata Knight Riders play Mumbai Indians). This was after the police had asked us to send a letter to that effect," MCA president Ravi Savant said.
Khan was banned for five years from entering the MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the association's managing committee, then headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, after he was involved in a fracas with the security staff and officials of the cricket body following KKR's victory over MI on May 16 last year.
The actor had, however, denied any misconduct and said he reacted only after children, including his kids, were "manhandled" by the security staff at the stadium.
Tonight's match was the first KKR outing in Mumbai after last year's incident.
Earlier in the day, the Bollywood actor found support from political parties -- Congress and MNS -- who had asked MCA to revoke the ban.
"Whatever happened (at) that time was wrong. The chapter is closed now. He should be allowed inside Wankhede Stadium. He is not a terrorist who should be denied entry," Raj Thackeray told reporters.
