Mini IPL overseas to be held in September, says BCCI chief

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday (June 24) announced that they will explore the option of hosting a mini IPL overseas in September.

Hailing the IPL as the “fastest growing league in the world”, Thakur said, “We have to look at, in which country we can play, how many players should participate, how long the format will be, who will be the broadcaster, etc”. Under the new suggestions, an under 19 cricketer can represent India only once in the ICC Under 19 World Cup.

The prospects of India hosting a day-night Test any time soon could be pushed back as BCCI president Anurag Thakur said that the board was in “no hurry” to play with the pink ball unless it was completely certain. “(It could be) A shorter format, not home and away matches but a lesser number of matches. “Let us take the feedback during the upcoming Duleep Trophy”.

At the meeting, the BCCI also made a decision to pass the proposal to hold Ranji Trophy games at neutral venues in the coming season, and replace the state-based domestic T20 tournament – the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – with a zonal-based competition. He also said that the franchise-based leagues run by states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would remain unaffected by this new tournament.

Sony TV hold the rights of IPL till 2017.

Thakur admitted that there was a lot of work left before more details of the mini-IPL could be finalised.

“There’s a “window” which has been left vacant in September after the Champions LeagueT20 was discontinued from previous year”. Moving on, Thakur revealed, “I have also ensured that in the next eight-year FTP cycle, we play at least 20 matches in India so that the revenue of the Board and the State associations is secured”.

“The stake holders will be the State associations who will select a zonal team after forming a Board for the goal”.

At the working committee meeting, the BCCI also made a decision to do away with current format of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 and there is also the possibility of the name of the former cricketer not being retained for the new tournament. In this new system, a team is likely to play all its games till the knockouts in a particular zone. “All five zones selecting a zonal side to play an Inter Zonal League will follow it”, the released added.