No decision on CLT20 yet, shall take call in game's interest: BCCI

No conclusive plans of scrapping CLT20

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS)

The Indian cricket board has not yet taken a final decision on whether to scrap the Champions League Twenty20. It would take a call after more deliberations, dwelling on bettering the tournament or getting a replacement for it, an official said on Monday.

"We have not done away with the Champions League T20. It is all media speculation that the tournament is being scrapped. We are thinking about what to do with the tournament. We will take a call in the interest of cricket," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said here.

"We still have CLT20. We will have meetings on how to make it a better tournament or something in place of that. We just finished Season 8 of the IPL which has been very successful. We will now start thinking on those (CLT20) lines," he said.

BCCI, CA and CSA have the final say in the matter

The CLT20 board, that includes Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, would have the last word on the tournament's future.

Officials of the BCCI and the two other boards, who assembled here for the IPL final, held talks on the issue on Sunday. A formal meeting is expected to be convened soon.

Asked whether the tournament, which lacked sponsors and viewership, could get the axe to protect the interest of the broadcaster, Thakur said: "It's in the interest of cricket. Just as we have moved from Test cricket to One Day Internationals and now to T20 events like the Indian Premier League, we need to sit down and think of other options if CLT20 cannot draw the crowd."

He said that in tune with the changing times, changes have to be brought into the format and other aspects of the game.

"With time, you bring in changes so that the game does not die. There should be enough takers for the game. The tournament should be successful," he said.

"We will not take a call in the interest of broadcasters. We will take a call in the interest of the fans. If the fans are not interested, there is no point continuing with it."

The CLT20 is an annual international T20 competition played among the top domestic teams from major cricketing nations.

Thakur announced a tournament to promote youngsters before the IPL

Thakur also said the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, a domestic T20 tournament, will be held before the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction from next year.

This would provide a window to upcoming domestic cricketers to showcase their talent ahead of the cash-rich league.

Asked about media speculation on the coach and director of the Indian team ahead of the trip to Bangladesh, Thakur said: "We have selected a team for Bangladesh. We will decide on the support staff soon."

India will play one Test and three One Day Internationals (ODIs) during their trip to Bangladesh from June 10 to 24.