The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly discussed the CVC Sports matter to the Solicitor General of India – Tushar Mehta – who represents the board in matters not involving the Government of India.
Even as the CVC Sports had acquired the Ahmedabad franchise for Rs 5625 crores on October 25 in Dubai, the owners is yet to receive a Letter of Intent from the BCCI.
CVC’s acquisition of the Ahmedabad franchise raised many questions following which there has been a delay from the Indian board in handing the Letter of Intent to CVC. Significantly, the Letter of Intent has already been submitted to the RPSG Group of Sanjiv Goenka, who had bagged the Lucknow franchise for a whopping Rs 7090 crores.
CVC, an American firm, has been trying its best to explain to the Indian board that their investment in a UK betting firm is not illegal.
As per reports, the CVC has tried to convince the BCCI that its investment in betting firm, which has become a bone of contention, is not illegal and recently, few top CVC officials had flown to India to have talks with the BCCI office-bearers.
After CVC had acquired one of the two franchise, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi ruffled a few feathers by drawing attention to the companies association with the Milan-based betting company Sisal. “I guess betting companies can buy an IPL team. must be a new rule. apparently, one qualified bidder also owns a big betting company. what next? does BCCI not do their homework? what can Anti-corruption do in such a case? #cricket,” Modi had tweetd.
However, now the initial recommendation from Solicitor General is believed to be positive.
“The initial recommendation from Solicitor General is believed to be positive but he is also understood to have advised the BCCI to take a second legal opinion. While it couldn’t be confirmed if the board has indeed gone in for a second opinion, those in the know have indicated that the matter is going to be settled soon, with a committee of legal experts at work,” a report in Cricbuzz stated.
Notably, the retention deadline for the existing eight IPL franchises has been set for November 30. However, the report suggested that due to the present circumstances, it may be extended by a week to allow both new franchises – Ahmedabad and Lucknow – equal number of days to figure out their own retentions.
Mega Auction for the next IPL season will be staged in December.
The IPL 2022, which will now be a ten-team affair following the addition of the two new teams, is most likely to begin on April 2 in Chennai.
Although the fixtures of the upcoming season have not been finalised yet however, the board had internally conveyed to the key stakeholders that the board is planning to start the 16th edition of the lucrative league on April 2 in Chennai.
As the next season will have a total of 74 games, the BCCI has discussed internally that the length of the season will be for over 60 days. As a result, the final could be played in the first weekend of June.