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Untitled Document
 Champions T20 League from September 29
30th Jul 2008 22:00 IST
Agencies
Ignoring ICC's objection on the scheduling of the Champions Twenty20 League, the Cricket Boards of India, Australia and South Africa today decided to hold the multi-million dollar event from September 29, just a day after the end of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
The tournament would be completed on October 8 and is followed by the India-Australia Test series from the very next day. The ICC had objected to its start date, citing rules that require a seven-day break between two international tourneys.
The choice of the venue for the league, involving eight teams with six of them from the founding member boards, has been kept open though according to Indian Board's Lalit Modi "ideally we want it to be held in India but there have been offers from various others too".
On the danger of a clash of interests in the players' loyalty ahead of the India-Australia Test series, Modi and Cricket Australia's James Sutherland emphasised that international commitments would be paramount.
"Only one or two players would be impacted because of the India-Australia Test series and we are clear that the ICC's FTP (Future Tours Programme) takes precedence over all else. Like it happened in the Indian Premier League those players would be released for international commitments," they said.
India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who would be representing IPL runners-up Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League, and Australia's Michael Hussey would be impacted by the clash of dates between the League and India-Australia Test rubber.
It was also announced that the League, which carries a prize money of USD six million, would be expanded next year to include 12 teams and would be played in September when no FTP commitments are scheduled.
"We had initially announced that Delhi, Mohali and Jaipur would host the matches of the Champions League. But we have received various offers. We would like it to be in India in the first year and then ideally rotate it among the founder members," Modi said indicating that the inaugural league can be held outside India too.
"We are quite open (on the issue of venues). It can be in one geographical area too depending on the available infrastructure," he said.
The IPL chairman also said the TV rights for 10 years would be decided by a tender process.
"We have kept the base price at USD 750 million for a ten-year period," he added. |
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