The Ferozeshah Kotla stood disgraced on Sunday in after the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka ODI was abandoned following visiting captain Kumar Sangakkara's refusal to play on a dangerous pitch, raising the possibility of the venue being banned for a minimum of one year.
The pitch fiasco, which brought an abrupt and embarrassing end to the five-match series which India won 3-1, has cast a shadow of uncertainty over Delhi's prospects of hosting 2011 World Cup matches.
As per the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, a first time breach could invite "a suspension of the venue's international status for a period of between 12 and 24 months together with a directive for appropriate remedial action and the need for prior ICC re-accreditation as an international venue".
An ICC spokesman said that the process has started and Match Referee Alan Hurst would submit his report in the next 12 hours.
The BCCI will also get 14 days to reply and the entire process may take about four weeks before a final decision is taken on Delhi as a venue," the spokesman said.
Hours after the abandonment, the BCCI disbanded its five-member Grounds and Pitches Committee with immediate effect and the Delhi and District Cricket Association indicated that it would form a two-member committee to probe the fiasco.
The nearly 45,000 spectators could watch just 23.3 overs with the Sri Lankans reeling at 83 for five before the game was called off, leading to unruly scenes in the gallery where incensed fans threw bottles and seat covers into the ground and broke chairs.
The game was abandoned after Sri Lankan batsman Thilina Kandamby complained to on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Shavir Tarapore. At that point, Sangakkara was seen gesturing from the dressing room, suggesting it was impossible to carry on.
After the umpires signalled to him, Sangakkara came rushing into the field to join the match officials to argue his case.
The abandonment due to a bad pitch is the second such incident after Indore in 1997 and prompted calls for the sacking of DDCA officials.
While the ticket-paying spectators were understandably agitated, former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Abbas Ali Baig and Madan Lal described the incident as shameful and blamed DDCA and the Grounds and Pitches Committee for the lapse.
Today's incident was uncannily similar to the December 25, 1997 India-Sri Lanka ODI in Nehru Stadium, Indore which was called off after just three overs and the fiasco invited a brief suspension for the venue.
