Published: May 24, 2016, 10:40 AM (IST)
Edited: May 24, 2016, 10:43 AM (IST)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to schedule a mini-IPL tournament abroad in the month of September, a small window in the packed schedule for the year, when hardly any of the Test-playing nations will be in action. The board though, will have to avoid competition from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which is also looking to hold an international T20 tournament during the same period. Ever since the scrapping of the loss-making T20 Champions League, BCCI has been eyeing the September slot and even last year it was keen to hold a mini-IPL, involving all its existing franchises, but the plan was postponed after a number of internal conflicts and legal battles as well. ALSO READ: IPL 2016: BCCI introduces regional language content
The BCCI is hoping to reach out to the Indian fan base abroad with the venture. A TOI source quoted – “It can be a great testing ground for what is possible in terms of reaching out to the Indian fan base abroad.It can be made financially viable if a market like the US is explored. Frankly, if the broadcaster finds it appealing then a lot of things fall into place” ALSO READ: Anurag Thakur elected BCCI President; one of the youngest to the post
Also if the ‘restriction on ads between overs’ clause of the Lodha panel is agreed upon then, then a mini-IPL held abroad, along with the rights for broadcasting given to Star might cover up for the losses suffered.
The ICC had earlier decided to hold the T20 World Cup every four years but after the 2016 edition in India, which became the most successful one, the governing body might just stick to the 2-year gap.
A source said – “Bilateral T20 Internationals are both rare and devoid of any context. But international tournaments get great numbers. It makes sense for ICC to revert back to the old logic of having one ICC event every year and thereby one World T20 every two years”.
