NEW DELHI: Another season, the same request. And likely the same stonewalling from the world’s richest cricket board. It is time the BCCI allows Indian Premier League teams to play exhibition games overseas in off-season as it will only strengthen what is already a strong product, Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has said.
Speaking to PTI, Wadia said constant innovation is the need of the hour in any business and he is confident that the BCCI will continue to break new barriers.
“The BCCI must consider having off-season matches to be held in places where there is a big Indian diaspora. That will grow the IPL even more. A bunch of three or five games in the off-season based on player availability. Hypothetically, allow the top four franchisees every year to play a few games in, for example, Miami or in Toronto or in Singapore. It will only strengthen what already is a strong product,” said Wadia.
About the two new franchises in the IPL, Wadia argues the the league has finally got its due. Bidding for two new IPL teams last month fetched more than $1.5 billion from RPSG Group and CVC Capital Partners, for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises respectively.
“I don’t think the numbers are mindboggling. Sport is big business now. It is a good investment. The league truly deserves it. These are serious businessmen we are talking about. They invest in things with a purpose. It has taken us 14 years to reach where the league deserves to be. I am happy that it has finally happened.”
Asked if the valuation of the existing franchises have also gone up to a billion USD in his view, Wadia said: “It could be even slightly more.”
However, Wadia is worried about the health of Indian players who have been playing constantly in both IPL and international cricket in bio-bubbles.
“The only concern is about physical and mental fatigue of the Indian players of all franchises, they have been in bubbles since last September. Mental fatigues of these players have to be factored in,” he pointed out.
