ECB confident of hosting IPL in England

London, Mar 23 (ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board plans to stage the Indian Premier League in a little over two weeks without any disruption to its domestic or international schedule.

The ECB is confident that it can stage all 59 matches of the IPL from April 10 to May 24 on major grounds without altering any fixtures. The number of IPL matches will not be reduced, The Guardian reported.

The ECB said that it could measure up to one of its biggest challenges and pip its only realistic rivals, South Africa, to host the six-week Twenty20 tournament.

David Collier, the ECB's chief executive, said last night: "We have had discussions in the last 36 hours. We shall be meeting the representatives of the Indian Premier League and the BCCI and shall be reporting back to the board at the back end of the week.

"An early decision has to be made as the tournament would be starting on April 10. We have already had discussions with Sky about our broadcasting contract with them and will be continuing those," he said.

The competition would clash with the county programme as well as the two Test matches and the three ODIs against West Indies. It would also end just a few days before the launch of the ICC Twenty20 event in June. (ANI)