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| April 20, 2008 | Sunday | Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1429 |
Inaugural Champions League set for October
BANGALORE, April 19: After the impressive beginning to the Indian Premier League, its organisers have arranged plans for inaugural Champions League featuring top domestic Twenty20 squads from several countries.
England have been offered the chance to host the tournament, which is likely to be held between the ICC Champions Trophy – which ends on Sept 28 – and the first Test between India and Australia, starting Oct 9.
However, that is not traditional cricket season in England and given the weather at that time – the end of summer, with shorter days and falling temperatures – a prominent cricket centre in North India will be the back-up venue.
That will also help in terms of travel, as the ICC Champions Trophy final will be in Lahore.
Details of the Champions League have been informally firmed up over the last few weeks during discussions between the top BCCI officials and those from Cricket Australia (CA), Cricket South Africa (CSA), Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and crucially, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), a senior official who is close to the negotiations, said.
Considering the time constraints and the urgency to get the event off the ground this year itself, the officials were apparently keen that the event be concluded in nine days with eight matches and a final, ideally, at Lord’s.
The common line that has emerged from the detailed talks is that the Champions League, to start with, could be a short, single-leg league involving the top two domestic Twenty20 teams from the five countries.
Lalit Modi, who presided over the opening day of the domestic Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangalore on Friday as its chairman and commissioner, is expected to “get cracking” on the Champions League very soon.
However, officials are aware of the possible complications on the way, especially involving Indian teams whose overseas players may have appeared for their home sides in the domestic Twenty20 tournaments. For example, Kolkata Knight Riders, who won the inaugural match, have Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, and Chris Gayle of the West Indies.
“CA is one of the keenest supporters of the Champions League,” the official said.”—Agencies
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