T10 League tries to clear air regarding sponsors, top official quitting
dubai — Embattled T10 League chairman Shaji Ul Mulk tried to come clear on some of the controversies surrounding the league and reiterated that they have got the necessary clearances from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).
The T10 league has come under the scanner and the legitimacy and its structure have been called into question in recent weeks following the resignation of some management members and the title sponsor Heera Group being investigated for Ponzi schemes.
“Heera Group were our sponsors last year. This year, we didn’t renew their sponsorship even though they were interested. With the recent reports, we have been working very closely with the ICC and have been taking advice from them on everything,” he said on Tuesday. “We had some of the management members leaving the league for their own interests. We are now appointing a new CEO to join us within a week’s time,” Mulk said, adding that the management has the necessary clearances and licences, and are going by the protocols set by the ICC and the ECB.
“The T10 League was sanctioned by the ICC and the ECB and remains in place. We are working very closely with the ICC and ECB to deliver a world-class tournament. All the different requirements and improvements required since it has gone from being a four-day league to a 10-day league, a 13-match tournament turning into a 29-match tournament, have been made,” he said.
Mulk said that the new T10 League’s new CEO is Colonel Arvinder Singh, the former CEO of King’s XI Punjab. “We are also forming a new governing council which will have ECB representatives. The umpires again will be from the ICC Panel. Ernst & Young, one of the top auditing firms, will be auditing the league. They will not just be auditing the league but they will also be doing a complete due diligence of all the stakeholders. We have appointed Roshan Mahanama as the Technical Committee head, who will be delivering the league as per the ICC code and all the standards required,” he added.
Regarding the participation of Pakistan players, he said: “The PCB chairman has gone on the record saying that they are waiting for the ICC clearance. I suppose what we are doing today is part of the answer. But, on an official level, we are not privy to the fact whether the PCB has written to the ICC or not. The ECB will be providing a report to the board’s interest in knowing about the T10 organisation.”
Meanwhile, ECB CEO David East said: “We want to reinforce the fact that ECB is entirely supportive of this league.”