Aizawl, November 17: Twenty-two paddlers were left in the lurch when Spicejet cancelled its flight (SG 3282) bound for Aizawl from Guwahati, citing “technical reasons.”

All the players, who arrived from Delhi and Mumbai by the same airlines, were to take the connecting flight to the Mizoram capital to participate in the ongoing 11Even Sports National Ranking (East Zone) Table Tennis Championships today. 

But soon after their arrival at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordordloi Airport at Guwahati, the players were told that the flight to Aizawl will not take off today and they will be sent only tomorrow. In fact, group matches in the Sub-Junior and Cadet Boys and Girls categories begin at 9 a.m. as per original schedule published, followed by the main draw events the following day, which is also the concluding day of the six-day championships. 

This unforeseen situation has led standard players, some of whom accompanied by their parents, at Guwahati calling up Competition Manager N. Ganeshan and requesting him to reschedule the matches. “The TTFI has considered their request and we are starting the match at 2 p.m. tomorrow,” said Ganeshan. 

But Ganeshan also admitted that this has not only put those players travelling to Alzawl in trouble but also the entire referee’s team, which includes 40 Blue Badge, international and national umpires, who will have to sit through the night to complete the day’s schedule. 

“We have to complete the championships the day after because all players and officials have their return bookings for Sunday morning and afternoon,” he said.