In yet another blow to IPL 2010, England’s players’ body has advised England’s cricketers to miss Indian Premier League due to security threats to the Twenty20. The security assessment report made by England’s security adviser Reg Dickasonhas found the threat to be serious and has given the report to seven England cricketers
“Sources have indicated that the threat is standing up to scrutiny and that the security report is unlikely to ease fears.” – report
Pakistani players can participate in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League, this was told by IPL commissioner Lalit Modi today while giving an interview to a news channel.
More over two more franchises will be included in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and this will increase the number of teams from 8 to 10. Modi said tenders for franchises can be collected from the office of BCCI or IPL from February 21 and that bids would be opened on March 8 in Mumbai.
In what could be one more jolt to IPL 2010, the news broadcasters on Tuesday decided not to cover IPL due to the stringent media policy of the IPL authorities.
“In 2008, the IPL/SETMAX had drawn up a set of norms for use of cricket footage of IPL matches, in negotiation and agreement with the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), which has been followed ever since. However, the NBA regrets that at a meeting held on February 16, 2010, the IPL/SETMAX arbitrarily refused to abide by their commitment as contained in the 2008 norms,” NBA Secretary General Annie Joseph said in a statement.
The NBA has said, “In view of this position unilaterally taken by IPL/SETMAX, members of the NBA are unable to offer to their viewers any coverage in relation to IPL or its proposed matches.”
Last week, The Indian Broadcasting Federation had called for immediate intervention by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to resolve the tiff between them and IPL authorities . The broadcasters have made it very clear that unless the 2008 guidelines are rstored, they are not going to telecast the IPL series.
Today at last came a news which could bring some relief to tensed Lalit Modi, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray announced that they will allow Australian players to play in the third edition of the Indian Premier League. Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has atlast broken the deadlock and gave some relief to controversies ridden IPL 2010.
Thackeray in a statement said that as per the assurances, it is not the entire Australian team which is coming but only few cricketers and more over the disruption would also hurt Maharashtrian and Indian players. Keeping this in mind they have decided to allow some Australian players to participate in IPL III. But he made it very clear that they are against Australians due to attacks on Indians. “Our issue has not been properly understood, we only wanted the attack on Indians abroad to be stopped, and that the government should take cognizance and some action on the issue. We are not opposed to cricket as such,.”said Thackeray.
In yet another controversy, Deccan Chargers have slapped a legal notice on IPL and have even threatened to boycott the third edition of the Indian Premier League if its home matches are not re-scheduled to Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam.
Earlier IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, had raised objections over venue due to ongoing Telengana issue and had shifted the matches to Nagpur and Navi Mumbai. This decision has raised serious concerns and had added the list of controversies this IPL is facing.
Today Shashank Manohar, Deccan Chargers solicitors had sent a notice to BCCI to reconsider the decision. As per notice, the decision to shift the matches have been taken “arbitrarily, unilaterally, without our client’s consent and in complete breach of the Franchise Agreement dated April 10, 2008 pursuant to which the rights and obligations of both the parties i.e. BCCI-IPL and the Franchisee, i.e. our client are governed. Your action is also contrary to the spirit of the game, the objective of the League Matches and the concept of having franchisees from different regions and also against public interest. Please, therefore, note that this arbitrary and unilateral decision revising the schedule i.e shifting of the venues of the matches from Hyderabad/Vizag is not acceptable to our client. Asking the IPL authorities to reconsider their decision failing which, the notice said, “our client will have no option but to seek legal recourse” and “will be justified in withdrawing from IPL Season-III without prejudice to all their other rights and remedies.”
Now the ball is in Lalit Modi’s court and all cricket fans would love to see the Reigning champions to be the part of this cash rich league.
