Kuala Lumpur, Feb 21 (UNI) Insisting that the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) won't affect the international schedule, ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed today confirmed that international matches will enjoy ''absolute priority'' over the Twenty20 competition.
The decision was taken after the two-day International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executives' committee meeting here, where the effect of the IPL on the Future Tours Programme (FTP) was studied.
''A long discussion of several issues relating to the IPL took place,'' Speed was quoted as saying by the 'Asian Age'. ''The members were pleased to receive very clear and unconditional commitment from the BCCI that international matches would be given absolute priority over IPL commitments.'' ''There has been plenty of speculation about the impact that IPL will have on the world game,'' he said.
''The other ICC members are supportive of the BCCI and will carefully evaluate the first year of the IPL and its wider impact on the game in other parts of the world,'' he added.
The ICC has also decided to stick to the pre-structured Future Tours Programme (FTP) till 2012, implying that no adjustments would be made to accommodate the IPL in the international cricket calendar.
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