Indian Premier League and Cricket News by IPL Cricket Forum

Cricket South Africa has rallied strongly behind its Indian counterpart BCCI and asked the International Cricket Council for a six-week window in April-May to accommodate the Indian Premier League that opened in Bangalore two days ago.

“I believe, however, that it is vital that the ICC creates a six-week window in the international programme each year for the IPL tournament so that it does not encroach on any international tours,” Gerald Majola, CEO of CSA, said in a media release.

“In this way, there can be no conflict between national playing contracts and those of the tournament. An ideal time would be the last two weeks in April and for the month of May,” he declared after praising the launch of the IPL at Bangalore as a “very exciting new jewel in cricket’s crown”.

Majola’s views are radically different to those expressed recently in Mumbai by outgoing ICC CEO, Malcolm Speed, who feels there’s no hurry to rush things up and carve out a window in the Future Tours Programme of the ICC to slot in the IPL.

“The players know that the only reason they are approached for the Twenty20 is because they are the stars for their country. They have become good players because they have been brought up in the system within their country. IPL hasn’t started yet. Before we go carving windows in the structure that is basis of the finances of all countries including the BCCI, let’s see how good it is. There is no rush to do this,” he emphasized.