IPL may scamper abroad

The beleaguered members of the Indian Premier League's governing council, hamstrung by the recent court order on Maharashtra, are likely to discuss whether the 2017 edition of the cash-rich tourney can be held abroad, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said on Thursday.

IPL has been twice played outside India, both during as- sembly election years. In 2009, the league was moved for the entire duration to South Africa, while in 2014, it was shifted to the United Arab Emirates for the first 15 days.

The IPL has been rocked by one controversy after another since its inception but this year, the spate of Public Interest Litigations filed by various organisations has thrown the itinerary into disarray.

On Thursday, for instance, a PIL was filed in the Ra- jasthan High Court opposing an IPL match which is likely to be held at the Rajasthan Cricket Association ground here. The plea is rooted in the claim that 80 lakh litres of water would be "wasted" for the event at a time when the state is facing an acute water crisis.

Another worrisome aspect is the Lodha Committee recommendations pertaining to curtailment of dvertisement

which, if implemented, will have a negative impact on BCCI's revenue structure. At least, the value of broadcast rights post-2017 will be significantly less. It is also understood that current players, who corner 26 percent of BCCI's annual income in form of salaries, may face a pay cut; so will the IPL franchises, which get a share of the revenue from the BCCI. Kings XI Punjab owner Ness Wadia told a TV channel he would be happy if the tournament moves out in 2017. "My personal view is it gives the league a wider footprint. I am happy if it hap- pens. It will benefit both the BCCI and the country if IPL moves out," Wadia said. "It will be unfortunate for the home towns, however, as they will not be able to watch their state teams playing on home ground," Wadia added.