Indian Premiere League to have 74 matches for next 3 seasons.

[STD]

Indian Premier League's (IPL) next three seasons, starting 2011, will have a total of 74 matches, up from 60 this year, following the addition of two new franchises -- Sahara Pune Warriors and Kochi.

There will be 70 league matches plus four play-off matches with each team playing the same number of matches (14 of which seven would be home and the other seven away) as in the previous IPL editions, said Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary N Srinivasan in a release after the IPL's governing council meeting in Mumbai.

"There will be one league table with teams divided into two groups of five teams each," the BCCI secretary said.

The IPL governing council also decided to allow the original eight franchises to retain a maximum of four players, including three Indians, and fixed a salary cap of $9 million for each franchise to spend at the next players' auction set for the middle of November.

Player contracts will be for a period of two years plus a one-year right of extension by franchise.

Retention of players would result in reduced amount available with each franchise with amounts of $1.8 million per annum for the first player so retained, $1.3 million, $0.9 million and $0.5 million for the other three players reduced from its kitty.

This is irrespective of the actual player fee paid to each of these players, Srinivasan said.

If a franchise retains four players, its salary cap will be charged by $4.5 million in each of 2011 and 2012 and it will have only $4.5 million remaining to pay as player fees for the remainder of its registered squad.

 

[Gentle Typhoon]

It's far too long, ridiculous, just five days after the World Cup ? OMG all players will exhaust themselves in the Indian March-April heat. Also this WC means retirement of Sachin from ODI cricket, its allmost established beyond doubt. India is favourate to win WC, we deserve only 5 days to celebrate victory ? Is this the way you treat your nation Icon ? Start drama after 5 days of exhausting WC.

BCCI

 

[SpArK]

Following the addition of Pune and Kochi franchises, the catchments areas were also revised as below to be aligned according to the cricket associations instead of states as follows:

Mumbai Indians - Mumbai, Baroda;
Royal Challengers Bangalore - Karnataka, Goa;
Deccan Chargers - Hyderabad, Andhra, Orissa;
Chennai Super Kings - Tamil Nadu, Railways;
Delhi Daredevils - Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand;
Kings XI Punjab - Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir;
Kolkata Knight Riders - Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur;
Rajasthan Royals - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Saurashtra;
Team Pune - Maharashtra, Vidarbha;
Team Kochi -Kerala, Services and Madhya Pradesh.



Gonna support Kochi big time now.

Read more at: IPL 4 to have 74 matches, teams can retain 4 players

 

[Markus]

I am happy that IPL will be held after the world cup next year, otherwise if India does not perform well, Dhoni would have had easily put the blame on IPL.

The world cup is going to be a real test for our team.

There is going to be additional pressure bcoz this is Sachin's last world cup. I hope they come all cylinders firing.

 

[SpArK]

WTF

Kochi yet to have a proper name while Pune has been named Sahara Pune Warriors

 

[STD]

It's far too long, ridiculous, just five days after the World Cup ? OMG all players will exhaust themselves in the Indian March-April heat. Also this WC means retirement of Sachin from ODI cricket, its allmost established beyond doubt. India is favourate to win WC, we deserve only 5 days to celebrate victory ? Is this the way you treat your nation Icon ? Start drama after 5 days of exhausting WC.

BCCI

When did Sachin announce that he ll retire after 2011 WC?Its just the prediction of some people,i hope the master doesn't retire any soon!

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

It's far too long, ridiculous, just five days after the World Cup ? OMG all players will exhaust themselves in the Indian March-April heat. Also this WC means retirement of Sachin from ODI cricket, its allmost established beyond doubt. India is favourate to win WC, we deserve only 5 days to celebrate victory ? Is this the way you treat your nation Icon ? Start drama after 5 days of exhausting WC.

BCCI

Sachin in a recent interview said that he is not even thinking about retiring.

 

[Pakistani_Athiest]

Sachin right now looks like Achilles. Let him not retire please. He is peaking only now.

 

[Pakistani_Athiest]

Sachin right now looks like Achilles. Let him not retire please. He is peaking only now.

This world-cup I will be supporting Sri Lanka primarily, coz Sanga and co. are cool.

I will be cheering for India following that.

Australia is the last-but-one team.

Not supporting Ijaz Butt's team. I hope that PCB loses terribly, gets kicked out in the first round or something. I am looking forward to a public outrage, dismantling of PCB and a new board/players put in place! Our U-19 team - Amir is strong enough. If we groom them to work with a board that's not so money-minded, we are good to go!

 

[LaBong]

I hope KKR will be more than just comic relief this time! I heard they bought some giant Pakistani player this time who anyway won't be available most of time or simply won't get visa approved! :s