By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has outlined the alternative to the ‘home-away’ pattern of matches, which featured at the inaugural series, for the second edition to be played in South Africa from April 18.
None of the participating teams will be based at any of the eight cities that will host matches in the series. However, each team will play twice against every other team at all venues.
“We don’t have the home and away concept that we followed in India because we want the teams to play in all locations,” Modi said in an interview to local radio station Talk Radio 702 Friday evening.
“We are just going to move them around from one place to another. At the end of the day, it depends on the number of points a team gains to enter the semi-finals.”
The cities that will host the IPL 2009, which was moved to South Africa because of general elections in India, are Kimberley, Bloemfontein, East London, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth.
Responding to a question on interest in this form of the game outside cricket-playing nations, Modi said IPL is fast catching up in the US.
“There is a huge population in America that comes from cricketing countries and they are all watching it (IPL). We are working to make it popular in China over the next few years.”