ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
New Delhi: The Indian cricket board refused to allow its players to participate in the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) fearing that suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi has close ties with the marketing agency which has been asked to organise the league by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
BCCI feels that Singapore-based company, Somerset Entertainment Ventures Pvt Ltd (SEV), which has the contract to conduct the tournament, has links with Modi.
"We have indications that Modi is behind the Lankan league. A lot of his men who worked in IPL are now involved in managing this league through SEV," a top BCCI was quoted as saying.
Modi, however, rubbished having any links with SEV.
"This, when that country has gone out of its way to let its players play in the IPL at the cost of Lanka's tour to England. This should be a wake-up call for the rest of the world as to the true intentions of the current BCCI management. You can only bully so much then... someone will react," Modi was quoted as saying in the Indian media.
SLC is reportedly hurt by BCCI's sudden move but is ready to explain the situation to the Indian board.
"This tournament is approved by SLC. And Somerset is the marketing arm, having won the rights through a tender process. Nobody can say it is owned by Somerset," SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.
"We need to explain the matter to BCCI and whatever the concerns that they have, we need to give them an explanation. It is very important to have Indian players play in the event as they will add a lot of value and glamour to the tournament," Ranatunga added.
New Delhi: The Indian cricket board refused to allow its players to participate in the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) fearing that suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi has close ties with the marketing agency which has been asked to organise the league by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). BCCI feels that...
New Delhi: The Indian cricket board refused to allow its players to participate in the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) fearing that suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi has close ties with the marketing agency which has been asked to organise the league by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
BCCI feels that Singapore-based company, Somerset Entertainment Ventures Pvt Ltd (SEV), which has the contract to conduct the tournament, has links with Modi.
"We have indications that Modi is behind the Lankan league. A lot of his men who worked in IPL are now involved in managing this league through SEV," a top BCCI was quoted as saying.
Modi, however, rubbished having any links with SEV.
"This, when that country has gone out of its way to let its players play in the IPL at the cost of Lanka's tour to England. This should be a wake-up call for the rest of the world as to the true intentions of the current BCCI management. You can only bully so much then... someone will react," Modi was quoted as saying in the Indian media.
SLC is reportedly hurt by BCCI's sudden move but is ready to explain the situation to the Indian board.
"This tournament is approved by SLC. And Somerset is the marketing arm, having won the rights through a tender process. Nobody can say it is owned by Somerset," SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.
"We need to explain the matter to BCCI and whatever the concerns that they have, we need to give them an explanation. It is very important to have Indian players play in the event as they will add a lot of value and glamour to the tournament," Ranatunga added.
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