Zee launches ambitious $232mn Indian Cricket League

In a move effectively challenging the Indian cricket board's national tournaments, Zee Group Tuesday announced the launch of an ambitious Indian Cricket League (ICL) with a corpus fund of Rs 1 billion ($232.26 million) and a promise to field many international players.

Stung by the announcement and in order to stop speculation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quickly issued a statement that its president Sharad Pawar has received a letter, but said no more.

The announcement came as a surprise also because Zee owns the BCCI rights for overseas international cricket. Zee won the five-year rights for $219.15 million.

"A professional league is the need of the hour as is the killer instinct in the players. We will try to do it as early as possible -- maybe in July," said Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra at a press conference here.

Chandra sounded extremely confident of getting the BCCI approval for ICL, whose winner would receive $1 million - the highest prize money ever announced for a cricket tournament in the country.

"It is not in conflict with the BCCI, but is complimentary to it. We have sent a proposal to the BCCI and I don't think they will reject it. I even don't want to assume that BCCI will reject it," he said.

BCCI, which has already called a working committee meeting in Mumbai Saturday to discuss the World Cup debacle, will perhaps have to add another item to its agenda.

The board statement said: "BCCI president Sharad Pawar has received a letter from Mr. Subhash Chandra, Zee Television, seeking permission to start the Indian Cricket League. An appropriate decision in this matter will be taken by the board."

The ambitious league, if allowed by the BCCI, threatens to do what late Australian millionaire Kerry Packer did almost three decades ago when he hired the world's top players for his own World Series Cricket following his fight for television rights with the Australian board.

Chandra said that the current Indian team players along with those from other countries would be seen in action in the league.

He said the ICL would be an annual feature. All the matches will be telecast on Zee Sports.

The league will consist of six teams or clubs in the first year and will be increased to 16 over the next three years.

To start with, all the matches will be Twenty20 affairs and will be played on home-and-away basis. Gradually, the format of the matches will be changed to 50-over a side. The champion team will get the winner's purse of $1 million.

Each team in the league will have two Indian international players registered with the BCCI, four foreign players and the rest young and budding players.

The players, who will take part in the ICL, will be contracted with the company and will get a fixed amount every month.

On the nature of contract, he said: "It will depend on the player."

Zee also plans to set-up residential academies equipped with state-of-the-art facilities across the country.

Sports medicine would be introduced to ensure top fitness of players and a full-fledged record of their behavioural pattern, diet-plan and game statistics would be maintained.

The group will also appoint talent scouts in all 35 states to hunt for young players to play in the league.

"We have expertise in talent-search in the entertainment field, we will use that same expertise to unearth cricketing talent in India," Chandra said.

He said each team would have a coach, physiotherapist, and psychologist. The league will have a professional media manager, and an ombudsman to resolve issues that may be raised by the public, or even by the players.

"A professional league is the need of the hour as is the killer instinct in the players. Budding talent must be groomed at the grass-roots level and given the experience to play on competitive pitches and not on placid tracks."

Chandra, however, declined to disclose the names of the players likely to take part. "There are a few big names which we don't want to disclose now."

He added that other companies are invited to launch their own clubs or teams and can take part in the league.

"We would love participation from other companies as well. They are invited to launch their own teams and take part in the league very similar to what we have in the National Football League," he said.

(IANS)

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