So why did the Board of Control for Cricket in India oppose an October date for the Champions Trophy? The answer is much more just a rescheduling issue.
BCCI stands to gain $100m from the ODI home series against Australia, while ICC will make only $65 m from the mini-World Cup
MUMBAI; So why did the Board of Control for Cricket in India oppose an October date for the Champions Trophy? The answer is much more just a rescheduling issue.
For the record, India are to take on Australia in a seven-match ODI series, the dates of which were clashing with the suggested window for the ICC one-day tournament. The larger issue in the whole controversy is, of course, money.
The Indian Board contends that the International Cricket Council stands to gain up to $65 million from 15 matches in the biannual tournament, while the BCCI is expected to make a killing out of the series against the world champions. One estimate is that the Board will earn more $100 million from the seven-match FTP fixture.
“Our stakes from the Australia series are much higher than the ICC’s Champions Trophy,” said Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary confirming that he opposed the October dates for the tournament at the just-concluded ICC meeting in Dubai. “The series is an important fixture in our calendar. We can’t sacrifice it. Why don’t they hold it in September,” the Board secretary asked.
Till late September, Australia and England are involved in their biannual Ashes series and are learnt to be unwilling to sacrifice their dates. In fact, the last match of the next Ashes series ends on September 20. The exact dates of the India-Australia ODIs are not yet announced but they are mostly spread over October. The Champions Trophy would be held only for 15 days but the tournament itself requires a window of over three weeks.
“The ICC tournament has the primacy over the FTP,” said an ICC spokesman adding: “CEO Haroon Lorgat has been authorised to discuss with the affected countries the rescheduling of the Champions Trophy.”
Among the other countries affected are Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, who are scheduled to play a three-match ODI. Even South Africa could also be affected as England are to visit them in November 2009. The ICC said Lorgat will explore dates in September-October but one is not sure how it can squeeze in a 21-day window in a busy FTP international calendar. Lorgat has been told to submit his report next month when the ICC Board is scheduled to meet.
Meanwhile while Pakistan said it understood the problems of the Indian Board but hoped a middle-ground can be found. “We understand the BCCI position. They can’t change the dates just as a few other Boards. But this is not a problem that cannot be overcome,” Shafqat Naghami, the chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told this paper.
The ICC has made it clear that it will take a final decision on the tournament in March next year. “We will not wait till the last minute to decide whether Pakistan is ready to host the tournament or not. We will decide in March itself,” an ICC spokesman said. That is of course if the ICC officials convince the BCCI and other unrelenting boards.
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