ICL, a profit-making body, misguiding cricketers: BCCI

Chandigarh, Aug 25 (UNI) Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today stoutly defended its decision not to grant recognition to the Indian Cricket League (ICL) tournaments, saying the League, unlike the Board, was a profit-making body.

"ICL aims at profit-making while BCCI is for promoting cricket at all levels. Consequently, the BCCI cannot give permission for a money-driven cause. The players who have joined the ICL have been misguided,'' BCCI joint secretary M P Pandove said today at a press conference here.

''Some of them have now realised it. Rajiv Rattan Shukla has announced that he would not be joining the ICL. I have been told that the ICL has included a clause in the contract with the players that if there is no profit, the contract will become null and void," he said.

The Punjab Cricket Association president Inderjit Singh Bindra conceded that with five Punjab players shifting their allegiance to the Indian Cricket League had temporarily given a setback.

"I will not say, if five senior players move out, it would not affect the team. However, the loss will be recovered within a short period. In the end it will not make much difference as junior players would automatically graduate to the higher level," said Bindra.

Strongly supporting the views of the former BCCI president, Mr Pandove, who is also PCA secretary said, "joining the ICL of Essel World Group by few players will give only a slight and temporary setback. The Punjab junior players are equally talented and matching. It is just a question of adjustment to the higher level of cricket." Asked if the PCA would take back the Punjab players who have joined the ICL if they want to comeback, Bindra said "it is for the BCCI to decide." Bindra and Pandove said that the profit of the BCCI had risen from Rs 200 crore to Rs 600 crore last year and it is likely to touch Rs 800 crore next year.

"Out of the BCCI profit, 26 per cent would go to the players. Out of 26 per cent, 13 per cent would go to the international players.

Out of the remaining 13 per cent for domestic cricketers, 10.4 will go to the senior players and remaining 2.6 per cent to the junior players.

The BCCI web protal would soon be ready and tenders had been invited, he said.

When his attention was drawn that MP and working president of SAD (B) Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced setting up of a modern cricket stadium at Bathinda, PCA president Bindra said "Pandove is in touch with the Punjab Government. We want stadium in each district. However, the Board will give grant only if the land is leased out to its affiliated unit for at lease 30 years." UNI XC JN BP1951