BCCI rejects IPL teams' request to play friendly games in the US

Three of the eight Indian Premier League (IPL) sides had asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for an approval to play a few friendly matches in the US later this year in August-September. Mumbai Indians had formally sent a request to the BCCI after the conclusion of the 9th edition of the IPL in May. Mumbai Mirror reported that the BCCI has refused to give permission to the teams.

It also stated that the board made the decision during the first BCCI annual conclave at Dharamsala last month. The three IPL teams, MI, Virat Kohli led Bangalore based franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore and MS Dhoni’s Pune based team Rising Pune Supergiants wished to organize a few matches in the United States. The unit had reportedly also approached the Kolkata Knight Riders but there was no formal confirmation from the Gautam Gambhir led side whether or not they would be in for the US tour.

The US has a significant Indian population and is seen as a lucrative market for cricket. In November last year Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne hosted the All-Star league in the US to explore the same market and the inaugural was a significantly successful season.

The matches were scheduled to be played closely after Team India’s tour of the West Indies that concludes in August. The players who are a part of the franchises would have directly flown to the United States from the Caribbean to take play the matches. US cities like Houston, Miami and New York were expected to host the games.

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The Indian board had in the past, expressed that the franchises were under no restriction and could play against associate countries. Though the major reason why the decision went against it has a lot to do with the BCCI’s plan to organize its first day-night tournament with the Duleep Trophy this year which will be played with the pink ball and its tentative schedule falls in the same time period.

To make the experiment a success the BCCI wants all the top players to participate in the tournament and that made it even more difficult for them to allow the IPL teams to tour the US.

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