M A I N   N E W S

To clip wings of Pawar & Co, Cong’s big idea: Revive ICL
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 21
Some senior Congress leaders are floating a rather interesting plan to cut party’s ally NCP, its boss Sharad Pawar and protégée Lalit Modi to size.

Officially, the grand old party may go blue in face denying it, the fact, however, is that there are serious difference of opinion, primarily based on conflict of interests, between the two allies on not just the IPL but other issues as well.

But to tackle the NCP and its boss on the IPL issue, a senior Congress leader recommended that the doomed Indian Cricket League (ICL) be revived and other similar leagues created to ensure that current monopoly enjoyed by Pawar and company is downsized.

“Twenty-20 is a popular format and there is no need why there should be a monopoly of one group on such events. Why does the BCCI not recognise the ICL? This way all kinds of monopolistic activities of the IPL will be contained,” the senior leader, who enjoys considerable clout in the party, today said. “Also, the IPL is so cramped that players hardly have any time to breathe. If there are other leagues, then anyone who has the time can participate,” he added.

The ICL was the first tournament with international players that followed the T-20 format. Floated by Kapil Dev in association with Subhash Chandra of Zee TV in 2006-07, ICL matches were initially held at Tau Devi Lal stadium in Panchkula, Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad and at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurgaon.

Initially BCCI officials did not react publicly on the ICL, but they were not too excited with this new league. Naturally, had the ICL become a successful league, it would have seriously undermined the monopoly of BCCI and also walked away with a big share of the cricket money pie.