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Champions T20 league launched

Special Correspondent

Sialkot confirms participation; Middlesex invited

Mumbai: The DLF-Indian Premier League Twenty20 promoted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket KFC Big Bash Twenty20 by Cricket Australia and the Standard Bank Pro20 by Cricket South Africa have come together to launch the 15-game, $6 million prize money inaugural Champions Twenty20 League from September 29 to October 8, 2008.

“After successful negotiations between the three parties we have found a way forward to launch the eight-team competition for the League. The tournament would be expanded to 12 teams from 2009. England’s Middlesex county has been invited while Pakistan’s Sialkot has confirmed participation,” said Lalit Modi, Chairman and Commissioner, DLF-IPL at the Cricket Centre on Wednesday.

Not flouting rules

The founding partners of the League clarified that the 10-day event from September 29 to October 8 would not flout an International Cricket Council (ICC) caveat that an international competition cannot be played within seven days of completion of an ICC signature event. The ICC Champions Trophy final is slated to be played at Lahore on September 28.

James Sutherland, CEO, Cricket Australia said the cricket boards had received the letter from the ICC. “We fully understand the substance and operative part of the letter, but the League is a domestic tournament and for club, State and Provincial teams, not for national teams that come under the ICC Future Tours Programme.”

Priority

The founding partners also explained that only a handful of players would be affected by the India-Australia series set to start in Bangalore on October 9 and would not be able take part in the League.

“The India-Australia Test series is paramount for us. We have to prepare well. Western Australia and Victoria have qualified for the Champions League and players picked for the four-Test series will be excused from playing for their respective teams in the Champions League. The ICC events and FTP are a priority,” said Sutherland.

Gerald Majola, CEO, Cricket South Africa said Titans and Dolphins had qualified for the Champions League and South Africa was free of international commitments from September 28 to October 8.

ECB participation

Modi was hopeful of Middlesex and ECB accepting the invitation. “The cricket boards of Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand have also expressed interest in playing in the inaugural league, but we would be able to accommodate them from 2009 onwards.

“The eight teams will be divided into two groups. After the preliminary league matches, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals and the winners will clash in the grand finale,” said Modi.

The meeting on Wednesday also approved the regulations concerning the League, the business plan, the governance model, the shareholding pattern and the commercial aspects including the tender process. He said the base price for television rights would be $750 million for 10 years, he said.

No ICL players

Modi also emphasised that all teams should be free of ICL players in order to qualify in their own domestic tournaments. “Our rules and regulations are very clear and we have agreed upon it.”

The Champions League was originally scheduled to be played at Mohali, Jaipur and Delhi. “Ideally I would like the inaugural Champions League to be played in India, but the partners would like to keep the options open. There are offers to host the event. We would like to rotate the Champions League in order to promote and develop cricket in all parts of the world,” concluded Modi.

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