Treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Arun Dhumal, confirmed to AFP that their December 24 annual meeting would discuss about adding two teams to the eight-team Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Indian cricket board officials said on Thursday that at its December annual meeting, they will discuss adding two new teams to the world’s richest T20 event – the IPL. Postponed three times this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest IPL competition was finally played behind no spectators in the UAE. However, the event still drew record television and digital viewer numbers.
Treasurer of the Board of Control for Indian Cricket, Arun Dhumal, confirmed that adding two teams to the league was on the schedule for the annual meeting that is planned to take place on December 24. He said that they would discuss this issue with the members and see what their views were and then would take a call.
The league has an estimated brand value of $6.8 billion. Some of the games this year attracted over 200 million viewers in India alone.
The teams spend huge amounts to bring the best cricket players in the world for the tournament traditionally host between March and May every year.
Australian bowler Pat Cummins was recorded to be the most expensive foreign player as having cost the Kolkata Knight Riders $2.1 million. Meanwhile, it is said that India captain Virat Kohli have earned $2.3 million after playing in 15 matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Reports show that Adani Group and RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, two Indian conglomerates that joined Rising Pune Supergiant for two IPL seasons, had shown interest in the new teams.
The agenda will also feature the BCCI’s stand on including cricket in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) wants to push for cricket to become an Olympic sport; however, the Indian board has been reluctant.
