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MUMBAI:
At its board meeting, the International Cricket Council (ICC)
agreed on a policy on Indian Premier League (IPL) and a 14-team
format for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was also agreed upon.
In
general terms, it was agreed that the IPL was a good concept
and although the introduction of privately-owned franchises
introduced risks to the game, it also provided possible benefits.
The board, however, stressed that the concept of nation-versus-nation
cricket was the lifeblood of members and this must always
be given the highest possible priority.
In
order to maintain that position, the ICC Board and the Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed that the BCCI,
as the owner of the IPL, would sign a standard-form contract
with all of the ICC members reflecting the following principles:
- Each
ICC member will have an unfettered right in its absolute
discretion to lodge an objection to a player from its country
playing in the IPL
- This
objection can be lodged up to two years after that player's
retirement
- All
such objections will be respected by the IPL and its various
franchises, and the player in question will not be selected
to play
- Bilateral
commitments of members will take precedence over IPL fixtures
- IPL
will introduce a code of conduct, an anti-corruption code
and an anti-doping code that comply with ICC regulations
No
request has been made by the IPL or BCCI to adjust the ICC Future Tours Programme
to accommodate IPL matches. The ICC will monitor IPL's progress over the next
few years and work with the BCCI to ensure that it works in harmony with international
cricket.
The
ICC board has also decided upon a 14-team format for the next
ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, which will be held in Pakistan,
Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
The
event will be held over a significantly shorter period than
the previous one. The detailed format, venues and schedule
will be finalised in due course.
The
10 full members qualify automatically for the event with the
remaining four places going to the semi-finalists of the ICC
Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will take place in Dubai
in 2009.
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