BCCI seeks legal advice on ICL issue

David Becker, the ICC man, and BCCI president-elect Shashank Manohar — also a leading advocate — were present in the meeting as the board geared up to prepare against a threat from the ICL, where the Zee-bankrolled league has hired a top law firm in England, and is willing to sue if its players (unofficially tagged as rebels), who are associated with various county teams, are prevented from playing in the Champions League.

It is no secret that the board is desperate to go ahead with the tournament, but also with strict instructions in place to not entertain any ICL presence.

This particular issue had led to friction between the BCCI and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), following which the Champions League had to be postponed. The ECB is now planning a Champions League of its own, which is proposed to be played in the UAE.

Modi, however, is not willing to let go of the idea that a tournament with top Twenty20 teams from across the world, including the IPL finalists, can be played out. “Finally everything boils down to the television revenue that India can generate and if at all there’s a competition between two boards, it’s no secret where the priorities will lie,” a top BCCI official told The Indian Express.

In fact, he is reported to have met with Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland and sought his help to resolve the stand-off. The issue whether English county side Kent, which finished runners-up to Middlesex in their domestic T20 competition Saturday night can participate in the tournament or not — because of the ICL players in its ranks — isn’t resolved yet.

The IPL chief along with Manohar and other top officials are meeting in Mumbai again on Wednesday, along with representatives from ICC’s legal department and CA to see what can be done in this regard.