Eoin Morgan joined Sunrisers Hyderabad after his international duties last season. (Source: BCCI)
The non-India cricket boards will get to double up their money share for allowing their players to play in the Indian Premier League, the tenth edition of which rolls forth from April 4. However, sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that the foreign boards will be paid on pro-rata basis as per the new clause between the BCCI and international boards.
The IPL general council, which met in Mumbai in January, has considered a proposal to increase the share from 10 per cent to 20 per cent to foreign boards after bumper revenues from IPL media rights. As per earlier terms and conditions the BCCI used to pay 10 per cent as annual fees irrespective of players’ availability.
However, henceforth, the respective boards will have to compensate if their player leaves IPL in between, which’s quite a common features due to international commitments.
“The share has been increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent but there has been many instances where player joins late or he flies in between the tournament because of international commitments. However, the board has now included a clause in its contract with the other boards that BCCI will pay respective boards depending upon the time he spends with respective IPL teams. Why should the board pay full money if player leaves in between?” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.
English players, serial offenders
England players in the past have skipped or joined IPL in between several times. Last year, England’s limited-over skipper Eoin Morgan and hard-hitting wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings had flown to India for the IPL, joining Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils respectively after playing limited-over games against Ireland.
However, the board is now going to negotiate with the league franchises whether they can share the load of 20 per cent which is going to be deducted from the BCCI’s coffers.
“The franchises ideally should pay 50 per cent of it as players represent them in the IPL. Now, they will be earning a decent amount after new media rights. The board will be talking to franchises on this soon,” another source said.
Meanwhile, in its IPL meeting held in Mumbai few months ago, the IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla had hinted of board’s change of plan in giving players’ fees. “Whoever (whichever Board) provides players for the entire duration, we will pay the board 20 per cent. Earlier we were paying 10 per cent,” Shukla stated.