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Top Indian and foreign players for one-off women's T20
The Board of Control for Cricket in India sanctioned women's T20 exhibition match ahead of the IPL play-off in Mumbai on May 22 will feature top Indian and foreign players.
A total of 30 players, 20 Indians and 10 foreigners, will train at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai ahead of the one-off game.
The teams will be called IPL XI and BCCI XI and the game will be broadcast live on Star Sports from 2.30 pm local time.
The IPL Governing Council recently approved the initiative amid calls for a women's IPL, following the Indian team's final appearance in the World Cup last year.
Like the IPL, seven Indians and four overseas players will make the playing eleven.
It has been learnt that all players will be paid match fees and a daily allowance while a business class return ticket will be provided to the overseas cricketers.
"This is another important step in the promotion of women's cricket. I am confident that this experiment will lead to a women's IPL in the near future," CoA member and former India captain Diana Edulji said.
The BCCI has approached the boards from Australia, South Africa and England, and the names of the foreign players will be announced soon.
The Indian women's selection committee will name the players later this week.
BCCI treasurer raises questions about timing of IPL play-offs
The friction between Committee of Administrators (CoA) and principal office bearers of BCCI came to fore once again after treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry questioned the decision of advancing the timing of IPL play-off matches to 7 pm instead of the usual 8 pm start.
The IPL Governing Council headed by Rajiv Shukla had decided that the matches during the business end of the tournament would start early.
While CoA chief Vinod Rai in his reply to the treasurer said that the decision was taken in consonance with Shukla, the treasurer alleged it as an "ad-hoc decision making" process without confirming if other GC members are in concurrence or not.
Rai said that since double-headers are not involved and prize distribution ceremony takes a lot of time, the 7 pm start looks practical. The treasurer however feels otherwise.
"A decision such as this ought to have been taken well before the tournament started after proper consideration of all factors. We cannot really make up things as we go along as it is not a good practice in my view. It does give an impression of ad-hoc decision making. We are half a month away from the finals and we cannot be deciding on the timings right now," Chaudhry wrote in his mail to the CoA, a copy of which is in possession of PTI.
The treasurer questioned why the decision was not taken at the start of the tournament and why now.
"Prior to the start of the tournament, in an officially convened IPL GC meeting, there was a discussion on the timings for the whole tournament but we did not hear anything on it thereafter and now all of a sudden one saw this being covered in the media and after that this suggestion has come forth and the arguments being given are two:
a. This would be in line with the bilateral T20 match start time (international matches)
b. It would be helpful if we plan to do a closing ceremony which could be in between 2 innings and an early presentation/prize distribution after the final match."
Chaudhry in his argument said that all players over the years have adjusted to 8 pm starts and it's a non-issue.
While BCCI/CoA plans to do closing ceremony between the two innings (during final), Chaudhry questioned the rationale of a 7 pm start in Mumbai when the natural light is still there.
If (women's exhibition match at 2:30 pm) is to happen, play-offs need to start at 8 pm, feels Chaudhry.
"Irrespective of such a decision being taken (though again we have very little time for this) the start time should not change."
Indian team's autographed bat to be auctioned at Chappell foundation dinner
The inaugural Chappell foundation charity dinner event at the Sydney Cricket Ground on May 24, will have an autographed bat of the 2007 World T20 winning Indian team up for auction.
The Chappell Foundation helps homeless youth in their adopted country. The foundation expects to raise around USD 200,000 (more than Rs 1 crore) through this charity dinner.
All three brothers -- Ian, Greg and Trevor will be in attendance along with the legendary Neil Harvey.
According to a media release, Sydney's Indian community will be well-represented with 30 among the 400 invitees being NRIs.
Among other memorabilia include a MCC pullover worn by the great Frank Tyson during the 1958 Ashes. Tyson had gifted the pullover to veteran cricket journalist Makrand Waingankar, who has donated it for the charity.
There will also be NRI interest in bidding for premium seating at the Adelaide Oval when India plays Australia in the opening Test match and for a hospitality suite at the SCG during the subsequent Sydney Test in January, 2019.
The Chairman of The Chappell Foundation (TCF) is Sydney-based Indian businessman Darshak Mehta and the Board of Directors includes Lisa Sthalekar, broadcaster and former captain of the Australian women's cricket team.