CCI's Brabourne stadium not to host any IPL matches: Dungarpur

Mumbai, Mar 14 (UNI) The inaugural edition of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) would not be held at the Brabourne stadium of the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

CCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur told newspersons here today that according to the IPL rules, 80 per cent of all the seats have to be handed over to the Mumbai franchise which is Reliance Industries, while 20 per cent will go to IPL, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He said ''Our members are of paramount importance and if they cannot watch the matches from the club house, then we would not host any of the matches. We have it written in our bye-laws that any event on the ground, the members are entitled to see it free.'' While ruling out any misunderstanding or confrontational approach, he reiterated that the committee had decided that if the members inherent rights were infringed upon like in this case, then we would not host the matches.

''We have made an offer to them in which we told the franchise of Mumbai that we are ready to give a part of the club house to them to accommodate their VIP guests, but they declined,'' Dungarpur said.

''We have taken this decision to protect the rights of our members, who are of paramount importance to us, and everything else comes second,'' he added.

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