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Kochi team gets BCCI nod; to play in IPL next year

Putting an end to the eight-month-long uncertainty hovering over the Kochi Indian Premier League team, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finally given its recognition to the team.

The governing council of the BCCI that met at Mumbai on Sunday gave its stamp of approval to the team after accepting the new shareholding pattern among the investors. The BCCI recognition will enable the team to participate in the fourth season of the Twenty20 league in 2011.

BCCI secretary N Sreenivasan said a total of eight teams will play in the fourth edition of the IPL. This confirms that Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, suspended by BCCI for violation of franchise agreement, will not play next season.

In a release issued after the governing council meeting, Sreenivasan said that the Kochi team was given the go ahead as the franchisee had satisfactorily responded to the notice issued to the by the BCCI on the shareholding.

“We have decided that the franchisee will play in the IPL from 2011 onwards,” the statement said. The franchisees have registered a company with the name Kochi Cricket Pvt. Ltd to steer the team. They had bid for the team as a consortium.

The governing council had last week deferred its decision on the franchisee after the investors informed the BCCI that they had resolved their dispute over the shareholding pattern. The dispute was over 26 per cent free equity held by the Gaekward brothers through Rendezvous Sports World.

The dispute ended after the Gaekward brothers agreed to part with 16 per cent shares. As per the agreement, the 16 per cent shares will be distributed equally among the other four investors, Anchor Earth, Parinee Developers, Rosy Blue and Film Wave.

“Differences among the franchisee are now things of the past. We had done everything to facilitate the team to survive. We will now focus on building up a team,” said Satyajit Gaekward, spokesperson of the Rendezvous Sports World.

“We will have a board meeting as soon as possible to decide the future course of action and team building. We are very sure that we will rise up to the expectations of cricket fraternity of Kerala and India,” he added.

Though the new development has made the team a reality, the franchisees need to do a lot more to fulfill the dreams of Keralites

to bring the IPL to the state. IPL matches can be played in the state only if it is approved as the team’s home ground.

The state does not have a full fledged cricket stadium now. Though the multi-purpose Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Cochin has been hosting one-day internationals, the BCCI is said to be not happy with the facilities in the stadium.

However, Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) secretary T C Mathew said there was no issue over the stadium. “We have renovated the stadium with the required infrastructure at a cost of Rs.330 million”, he told the Khaleej Times.

“We have also started work on installing floodlights in the stadium. This will be completed within three months,” Mathew said adding that this will facilitate IPL matches in the stadium. “We will soon have an agreement with the Kochi Cricket Pvt. Ltd on conducting the matches in the stadium”, he added.

Mathew said that KCA was also in the process of building a new stadium in the city. “We have already acquired the land and will seek the required approvals shortly. We hope that the new stadium will be place for the fifth season of IPL,” he said.

Trivandrum MP Shashi Tharoor said he was also making efforts to have another stadium in his constituency. “This is a minor issue that we can sort out. The important thing was getting the team. All should be happy that the state had got its own team,” he told reporters in the state capital.

He urged the franchisees to appoint a professional management to take the team forward.

He also appealed to the people to support the team, which will not only promote cricket but also work as a catalyst to the social and economic development of the state.

“The arrival of the modern form of sports will lead to change in the mindset of people. Keralites have a tradition bound close mindset. This should change for development to come to the state. I am sure IPL will help this process”, he said.

Tharoor, who was forced to resign as Minister of State for External Affairs following allegations of his involvement in the team, said that he had helped the team considering its immense scope for the development of the state.

He said he had no role in the team now. However, he said that he will continue to support the team as the youths in the state were very enthusiastic about cricket.