Ban on Shah Rukh Khan to be lifted?

Want to host the IPL final? Then tick the boxes in this checklist. That's the message the IPL governing council (GC) has sent to the sulking Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). Mind you, the list is a pretty long.

• Seek government permission to burst firecrackers after the usual 10 pm deadline
• Allot 85 per cent parking slots to IPL/BCCI
• Negotiate with or be ready to bear a percentage of the cost for Mumbai Police 'bandobast'
• Give priority to IPL sponsors in and around the stadium
• Barrier-free access to all BCCI/IPL officials as well as dignitaries from the UAE (at least one member of the royal family is expected to be in India for the final)
• Allow all franchise owners/officials entry
• Allot a chunk of corporate boxes to BCCI/IPL

"Yes, there is some good news. The GC has considered our request to move the final back to the Wankhede Stadium. But there are a few conditions. We have called for a managing committee meeting to discuss these conditions," MCA vice-president Ravi Savant told dna. "If we fulfill these demands, we will get (to host) the final," Savant added.

Two years ago, the MCA had imposed a five-year ban on Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan from entering the Wankhede premises. The managing committee had lambasted the actor for "manhandling the security guard, and abusing and threatening MCA officials". Well, if the association does want to host the final this year, then it will have to lift that ban.

Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar, the BCCI's interim president for IPL-related affairs said that no decision was taken at the GC meeting. He was, of course, referring to the venue of the final.