IPL's second season a distant dream, says Modi

IPL's second season a distant dream, says Modi

Agencies

Posted online: Friday, March 28, 2008 at 1103 hrs IST

London, March 28:
With the much-hyped Indian Premier League facing the hurdle of consolidating a place in cricket calendar, its chairman Lalit Modi confessed the second season for the star-studded Twenty20 competition was not possible for the next four years.

Modi said after inaugurating the IPL, featuring the cream of cricket world contesting for eight franchise teams to be played from April 18 to June 1, they will have to first find space for the 'Champions Twenty20' in which the semi-finals and final matches of the will be staged.

"We may look at a second season years from now but I don't see a second season in the next three or four years at least," Modi said.

"We may look at a shorter window some time in September when we are free and there is no international cricket. We are looking at that but we have to keep in mind that we have the Champions Twenty20 around that time, so we have to carve out windows for everything.

"Our priority is to bring the Champions Twenty20 in next and then look at a second season for the IPL in the future," he was quoted as saying by the BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, England players' boss Sean Morris has said his cricketers wanted to play in the IPL and should be given the chance to do so or "money will talk".

"The value of the cricketer has just increased through what is happening in the IPL," Morris said.

"It's perfectly natural for the PCA to want our members to take advantage of that - it's a unique opportunity," he said in reply to England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Giles Clarke.

"We are not interested in people playing in the IPL," Clarke had said, adding that he would not change the domestic calendar to suit the Indian league.

IPL, the billion-dollar competition, which has attracted players from every leading cricket nation apart from England, is clashing with the English season.

	Print Story
IPL's second season a distant dream, says Modi Agencies Posted online: Friday, March 28, 2008 at 1103 hrs IST London, March 28: With the much-hyped Indian Premier League facing the hurdle of consolidating a place in cricket calendar, its chairman Lalit Modi confessed the second season for the star-studded Twenty20 competition was not possible for the next four years. Modi said after inaugurating the IPL, featuring the cream of cricket world contesting for eight franchise teams to be played from April 18 to June 1, they will have to first find space for the 'Champions Twenty20' in which the semi-finals and final matches of the will be staged. "We may look at a second season years from now but I don't see a second season in the next three or four years at least," Modi said. "We may look at a shorter window some time in September when we are free and there is no international cricket. We are looking at that but we have to keep in mind that we have the Champions Twenty20 around that time, so we have to carve out windows for everything. "Our priority is to bring the Champions Twenty20 in next and then look at a second season for the IPL in the future," he was quoted as saying by the BBC Sport. Meanwhile, England players' boss Sean Morris has said his cricketers wanted to play in the IPL and should be given the chance to do so or "money will talk". "The value of the cricketer has just increased through what is happening in the IPL," Morris said. "It's perfectly natural for the PCA to want our members to take advantage of that - it's a unique opportunity," he said in reply to England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Giles Clarke. "We are not interested in people playing in the IPL," Clarke had said, adding that he would not change the domestic calendar to suit the Indian league. IPL, the billion-dollar competition, which has attracted players from every leading cricket nation apart from England, is clashing with the English season.