Without clearances, Chennai could lose IPL final

Agencies
April 9, 2019

New Delhi, Apr 9: The Indian squad for the ICC World Cup will be selected on April 15 in Mumbai, the CoA decided on Monday apart from giving a one-week deadline to TNCA to get required clearances for keeping the IPL final in Chennai.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) along with three BCCI office bearers met in the Capital to discuss various issues related to IPL and Cricket Operations.

The last date for announcing the World Cup squads is April 23 but BCCI has decided to announce it eight days prior to the scheduled date. The World Cup will begin on May 30 in the United Kingdom.

The decision was informally taken at an earlier date but was announced on Monday.

While Indian team's World Cup preparations are on right track with only a couple of slots up for grabs, the formidable Chennai Super Kings team might feel a bit uncomfortable after BCCI zeroed in on Hyderabad as the stand-by venue for the May 12 final.

The issue of the three empty stands -- I, J and K -- at the Chepauk has been an issue since 2012 and whenever Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has organised matches (IPL or international), the three stands have remained out of bounds for the spectators as the local municipal corporation has not provided a fit certificate.

The only exception was an ODI match in December 2012, when an exception was made as India was playing Pakistan. The issue many believe is more political between the state government and the TNCA.

"Three stands constitute 12,000 spectators. It looks really odd on TV whenever one finds completely empty stands. We don't want CSK to lose out on home advantage if they qualify for the play-offs," a senior BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"But we have given them a week's time to get clearances. If they fail to procure the certificates, the final will be shifted to Hyderabad and play-off and eliminator will go to Bengaluru. Since Sunrisers were runners-up in 2018, they will be hosting the final," he added.

Meanwhile, the CoA also decided on the format of the mini Women's IPL which will be played with three teams. There will be four games instead of the odd-exhibition match played last year.

"The matches will be held at 8 pm which is also TV prime time for men's matches. One game will be held in Visakhapatnam and other games will be in all likelihood held in Bengaluru," said a source.

It was also learnt that CoA has asked the steering committee of Players' Association to expedite the process of formation of the body.

"The Players' Association is expected to take shape in the next two weeks. The four-member committee has been told to expedite the process," an official said.

The BCCI has also decided to invite fresh tender for title sponsorship of domestic tournaments and international games in India. "It will be a fresh process but PayTm can also bid but just like new bidders."

Even BCCI's PR company AdFactors' contract with the board has come to an end and they will have to show 'Expression of Interest' (EOI) and again apply through the proper process.

The BCCI will be getting Rs 2.09 crore from Cricket Australia after reconciliation of accounts for the past 10 years.

"There have been discussions on accounts settlements over all the past bilateral series between India and Australia. We are supposed to get Rs 2.09 crore. The discussions are still on. The office bearers will again meet the CoA on April 20," a BCCI official said.

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News Network
June 20,2020

Melbourne, Jun 20: If 15 teams can be allowed to enter Australia for the T20 World Cup then fans will not be stopped from watching live action from the stadiums, Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley said on Saturday.

Hockley replaced under-fire Kevin Roberts, who recently got the boot from Cricket Australia, which is grappling with financial woes.

Different possibilities are being worked out for the T20 World to go ahead as scheduled later this year and one of them is to host the tournament before empty stands in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Hockley said crowds will be allowed, though, hosting 15 teams with players, officials and support staff is "complex" as of now, hinting that probably the ICC flagship event could be pushed back.

"The reality is, and we've got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country," Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to see the World Cup proceed without fans.

"If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you're talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it's a much more complex exercise."

When specifically asked whether crowds would be permitted by the time borders have opened to the point that 15 teams will be allowed to travel to Australia, Hockley replied in an affirmative.

"That's the current thinking, yes."

Hockley said it came as a shock when he was asked by Cricket Australia to replace Roberts.

"I've had very mixed emotions. I was very shocked to be asked. I didn't see it coming at all, so I probably haven't had time yet to process it. I feel very sad for Kev (Roberts). On the other hand, I feel this is a massive privilege to be asked, it's a massive responsibility and a massive opportunity even if it's only for the next few months," he said.

Hockey did not commit when asked if he would like to assume the role full time, but he did say that he would quit as CEO of the T20 World Cup Organising Committee.

"My approach throughout my entire career has been to focus on doing the best job I can with what I've been tasked with, and the future will look after itself. And I'll continue the same approach.

"That's (T20 World Cup) been a real priority over the last 48 hours. We're reasonably well progressed and we will be appointing an interim because you just can't do both," he said.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: The finals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 will be played on November 20, the sources within the BCCI confirmed on Sunday.

The IPL's governing council met earlier today, and it has also been decided that the evening matches will start at 7:30 pm, half an hour earlier than usual.

Jay Shah, the secretary of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and Arun Dhumal, treasurer of BCCI did not attend the IPL's governing council meeting.

"The tournament will run for 51 days, usually the IPL should go on for 49 days as per the constitution, however in the meeting it has been decided that we will go to Supreme Court for conducting the IPL in 51 days," sources within the BCCI said.

"As the tournament is running for 51 days, we will get the chance to play fewer doubleheaders, there would be just 10 double headers, evening matches will start at 7:30 and the afternoon matches will start at 3:30. 

The matches will be played across three venues at Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah as travelling here by road is easier and bio-secure environment can be maintained," he added.

The IPL's governing council also confirmed that Women's IPL will also go on and four teams would be participating in it.

"When it comes to women's IPL, there would be four teams and the matches would be played at the time of playoffs for men's IPL," the source said.

The source within the BCCI also said that the governing council would be meeting again to discuss the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all the franchises that need to be followed in the IPL.

The governing council meeting discussed the quarantine measures along with the standard operating procedures (SOP), bio bubble training facilities, stay and travel of the players.

Issues related to the broadcaster, shifting, and scheduling of the tournament, and DXB app to be downloaded for players and other officials were also discussed as well.

A few days earlier, the IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel had confirmed that the 13th edition of the mega event will commence on September 19 in the UAE.

This year's IPL was slated to commence from March 29 but the tournament was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) had also confirmed receiving the official Letter of Intent from the BCCI to host the 2020 edition of the IPL.

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Agencies
January 23,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 23: An FIR has been registered against three people including former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin for allegedly duping a travel agent, Mohammad Shadab, of more than Rs 20 lakh.

However, Mohammad Azharuddin has refuted allegations and said: "I strongly rubbish the false FIR filed against me in Aurangabad. I am consulting my legal team and would be taking action as necessary."

Azharuddin's personal assistant Mujeeb lives in Augurangabad and has good relations with the travel agency of Shadab.

The travel agent alleged that Mujeeb asked him to book some flight tickets but did not pay the amount.

The police have booked the three under Section 406, 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

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