 BCCI launches multi-million dollar leagues to counter ICL
14th Sep 2007 08:04 IST
Agencies
Cricket landscape in India will undergo a major transformation with the announcement Thursday of two new and innovative Twenty20 Leagues with a total prize money of about Rs 35 crores, the highest ever in the game's history.
Challenged by the rival Indian Cricket League (ICL) which has weaned away 70 Indian cricketers for a Twenty20 tournament, the BCCI responded by disclosing that it will organise a Champions Twenty20 League with a prize money of USD 5 million (approx Rs 22 crores) and Indian Premier League (IPL) which will carry a prize money of USD 3 million (approx Rs 13 crores).
Legendary spinner Shane Warne has already confirmed his participation for the Champions Twenty20 event which will feature two top teams from India, Australia, England and South Africa in its inaugural edition.
The announcement of the cash-rich ambitious leagues was made by BCCI Vice-President Lalit Modi at a crowded press conference in New Delhi where the top brass of the ICC and several Test playing nations were present.
Indian stars -- captain Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and former skipper Sourav Ganguly -- added a touch of glamour to the event by sharing the dais along with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and former Australian pace spearhead Glenn McGrath.
Giving details of the league, Modi said that the IPL will be held in April next year, while the Champions Twenty20 League will be played in the first week of October 2008.
The whopping amounts offered as prize money for the two leagues is much more than the winning purse of USD one million earmarked by the Subhash Chandra-owned Essel Group for its Twenty20 venture.
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