HARARE, Feb 20: The mayor of Harare has boycotted World Cup matches in the city because his official invitation from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) made him feel “like a criminal”, a local newspaper reported on Thursday.

Mayor Engineer Elias Mudzuri took exception to a paragraph in the invitation warning he could be searched for “alcohol, chairs, umbrellas, anything that can be classed as a weapon, anything that is going to make a noise, such as a firecracker”.

“The ZCU are treating me like a criminal. How can they say they will search the mayor for things like alcohol, weapons and even firecrackers?” he was quoted as saying by the privately-owned Daily News.

The ZCU responded by saying the invitation was a form letter sent to 250 people, and that the stipulations inside conformed with International Cricket Council (ICC) security regulations.

But that did not impress the mayor.

“I asked them (the ZCU) why they would write such a general letter to the mayor, but I did not get a satisfactory response,” he said.

However the mayor got his own back by maintaining a conspicuous absence from Harare’s airport when the Namibia and India cricket teams, on arrival for their Group ‘A’ matches, were welcomed by a range of dignitaries.

“First the ZCU write to me as if I am going to kill the cricketers, and then they ask me to go and meet them,” said Mudzuri. “I said no.”

Co-hosts Zimbabwe beat Namibia by 86 runs in their cup opener at Harare Sports Club last week but lost to 1983 champions India by 83 runs on Wednesday.—Reuters