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Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi has claimed that media mogul Rupert Murdoch became his "second-biggest enemy" after the cancellation of the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Speaking to ANI in London, Modi recalled the difficult circumstances following the November 26, 2008, terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which forced the cancellation of what could have been the first edition of the CLT20 tournament that was scheduled to be held in December that year. "Rupert Murdoch became my second-biggest enemy. Because I sold my Champions League (CLT20) rights to Rupert Murdoch, and that story has already been said," Lalit said. The inaugural CLT20 was originally slated to take place from December 3 to 10, 2008. However, following the terror attacks in Mumbai, the tournament was first postponed and later officially cancelled after organisers failed to identify a suitable window. The competition eventually debuted in September 2009. Lalit claimed that despite the cancellation, broadcasters remained contractually obligated to honour their commitments. "I cancelled Champions League (2008). They lost a few hundred million dollars. But they still had to pay us, because the minute the team touches down, the contract is live. So the contract becomes viable. Rupert tried to make me cancel the contract even when I left. And paid me hundreds of millions of dollars to cancel the contract. I could have taken that money, and I did. But I made another enemy," he said. Reflecting on the challenges he faced during and after his tenure in cricket administration, Lalit Modi claimed powerful adversaries made it impossible for him to continue fighting. "I had multiple strong enemies against me, and when you have such strong enemies against you, you can't fight it. So you just sit back and just let it go," he added. Murdoch's media empire was closely associated with the CLT20 through ESPN STAR Sports, which had secured the tournament's global commercial, marketing and broadcasting rights under a long-term deal. The competition was envisioned as cricket's equivalent of football's UEFA Champions League, bringing together leading domestic T20 franchises from around the world. Despite significant financial backing, the tournament struggled to sustain viewership outside India and was eventually discontinued by the BCCI in 2015. Lalit Modi is currently serving a lifetime ban imposed by the BCCI after being found guilty of misconduct, indiscipline and financial irregularities following investigations into the early years of the IPL. (ANI)
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