By IANS
New Delhi : The International Cricket Council (ICC) said here Wednesday that the Essel Group-promoted Indian cricket League (ICL) has not approached it for recognition of its breakaway Twenty20 tournament.
“We (ICC) said two years ago when the Twenty20 was gaining popularity that there would be private promoters. So, we can’t be surprised at so many proposals coming,” ICC CEO Malcolm Speed said at a press conference.
“The ICL has not approached the ICC so far,” he emphasised.
Speed, here in connection with the unveiling of the ICC Twenty20 World Championship trophy to be played in South Africa from Sep 11 to 24, outlined the pre-requisites for any privately organised tournament to be allowed.
If a private promoter approaches ICC, there is a five-point process in place, said the ICC CEO.
“First, we see who are playing, then where the matches are being held, and if the venues are safe for the players,” he said.
“And if the venues adhere to the ICC’s anti-corruption requirement, whether there is any charitable aspect involved in the tournament, and finally, whether the promoter has the consent of the member (host) country.”
Speed pointed out that if the ICL were to approach ICC to recognise the tournament, the world body would ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if it was okay with it.
He stressed that the ICC recognises BCCI as the game’s regulatory body in India and it was happy with the arrangement in place since 1928, when BCCI was formed.
ICL, promoted by Subhash Chandra, is seen as an establishment-threatening tournament designed on the lines of Australian media mogul Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket of the late 1970s that shook the cricket world, especially the Australian cricket board.
Chandra has signed former India captain Kapil Dev, reportedly for Rs.1 billion ($24.5 million), as chairman of the ICL board of directors besides former Test players Kiran More, Sandeep Patil, former England skipper Tony Greig and ex-Australia batsman Dean Jones to conduct the tournament in which six teams will play matches in October-November.
ICL has also signed players like West Indies great Brian Lara, Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq and 43 Indian players, mostly youngsters.