BCCI plann Twenty20 league to counter challenge of rebel ICL group

Mumbai, Aug 23 (UNI) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is training its guns on the Indian Cricket League with plans of organising a Twenty20 league of its own to counter the challenge posed by the rebel Essel group backed ICL.

The BCCI league plan is still in its formative stage and it has been learnt that the cricket board is planning to ask Sunil Gavaskar to head the organising committee of the league to be called 'Professional Cricket League'.

Lalit Modi, Vice President and marketing committee chief of the cricket board said that ''the board has been working on something for sometime now, but that they were still not ready to divulge any details. When we are ready we will let you know,'' he added.

The proposal, however did not come up for discussion at the special General Body meeting of the BCCI here on Tuesday.

There has been no discussion on this in the BCCI, a top source in the board said.

Although the BCCI official were not willing to shed much light on the new proposal, it is learnt that two to three foreign players will be allowed to play in each team.

Jolted by the rebel ICL's massive recruitment drive, the BCCI has not only decided to ban defecting players but has also announced substantial hikes in match fees and prize money for domestic competition to prevent a fresh exodus.

The ICL has so far recruited 44 first class players and seven overseas players which includes West Indies batting great Brian Lara and former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq.

UNI