Former India captain Kapil Dev admits he will be nervous prior to the start of tomorrow’s Indian Cricket League because, in his own words, the event is a baby he has helped father.
Since its inception the ICL has met with obstacles, most notably the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who view the competition as one that is raping the country of ‘their’ revenue streams. They instructed players, administrators, sponsors and even the media to have nothing to do with it.
The BCCI then announced their own version, the Indian Premier League, only this event is sanctioned by the International Cricket Council and just about any body that is deemed ‘official’. The ICL has been painted as the black sheep of world cricket.
The negativity has not deterred West Indies batting great Brian Lara, Pakistan World Cup winner Inzamam-ul-Haq and a slew of fringe or fading England players like Darren Maddy, who will play for Calcutta Tigers.
Kapil feels people have the wrong impression of the ICL, similar to when Kerry Packer unveiled the World Series Cup in the late Seventies.
“ICL is our baby and we are hoping everything goes off well,” Kapil said. “It’s not the black sheep of cricket.Was Kerry Packer the black sheep of cricket? That was a good thing that happened and this is also a good thing.
“We are giving jobs to hundreds of cricketers, administrators, television people, umpires. How can it be wrong to give jobs to people? Are we not promoting cricket? Are we not putting money into the game? If I thought we were spoiling the game I would walk out.”
Delhi Jets and Chandigarh Lions will launch the ICL at a ground in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, converted from a football venue in six weeks.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik is doubtful for the second Test against India, starting on Friday in Calcutta, after failing to recover from an ankle injury.
Malik twisted his ankle during a soccer game after his side’s defeat in the first Test. Team-mate Shoaib Akhtar was yesterday recovering well from a viral infection and fast bowler Umar Gul is on the mend from his back injury.
Steve Elworthy, the former South Africa seam bowler, has been chosen as tournament director for the ICC World Twenty20 2009 in England and Wales.
Source : http://indiancricketleaguenews.wordpress.com/
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