Veteran Congress leader and cricket administrator, N.K.P. Salve, credited with securing opportunity for India and Pakistan to stage 1987 Cricket World Cup tournament, passed away here on Sunday. He was 90. Funeral was held Monday in Nagpur.
He was acknowledged for his excellent work in 1987 when India and Pakistan staged the World Cup. As chairman of joint committee, Salve successfully piloted the project which culminated in a full house cheering Australia's win over England in the final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. It was to Salve's credit that the World Cup moved out of England for first time after three successive editions in 1975, 1979 and 1983. In The Story of the Reliance Cup he recalled how authorities rejected his request for four complimentary tickets for 1983 World Cup final at Lord's. "This incident had far more adverse impact on my mind than mere denial of four passes for a cricket match," wrote Salve, who was then Indian Cricket Board's president.
He went on to constitute Asian Cricket Council in 1984 with support of Air Marshal Nur Khan (Pakistan) & Gamini Dassanaike (Sri Lanka). Born in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, Salve was a chartered accountant by profession. He represented Betul Lok Sabha constituency and figured in Cabinets of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Narasimha Rao. Having played club cricket, Salve stayed in touch with game as umpire and later as administrator who had a soft corner for players. Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, two of India's greatest cricket icons, would remember his impromptu announcement in dressing room of Rs 1 lakh rupee reward to each member of World Cup winning team.
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