IPL demand apology from Arjuna

Sri Lanka Cricket’s remarks at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Meeting in Dubai have resulted in the change of stance by the Indian Premier League who had earlier promised to compensate SLC with a massive sum of US Dollars 40 million for a period of ten years.

This was following the successful discussions between the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association Graeme Labrooy and Lalit Modi Chairman and Commissioner of the high profile IPL which took place in Mumbai recently following the cancellation of Sri Lanka’s proposed tour to England next year.

But the Sri Lankan delegation were forced to return empty handed as their official discussions with the IPL ended in an unsuccessful manner in Bangkok during the weekend.

The Sri Lankan delegation comprised of SLC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Duleep Mendis, Sports Ministry Secretary S. Liyanagama, Sri Lanka Cricketers Association Secretary Graeme Labrooy and Interim Committee Member Sidath Wettimuny.

The IPL have raised their concerns over the SLC’s recent comments at the ICC meeting in Dubai in connection to this lucrative deal which will also allow a domestic team from Sri Lanka to participate in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament from next year.

The million dollar deal would have led to the full participation of the Sri Lankan players in the IPL as well as in the Twenty20 Champions League for the next decade.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Farveez Maharoof, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Dilhara Fernando are some of the top players who have signed three year contracts with the IPL.

In fact 38 year old dashing left hander Sanath Jayasuriya is the third highest player of the IPL while 23 year old new spin sensation Ajantha Mendis has also signed up with the Kolkata Knight Riders for three years.

But according to reliable sources the IPL will not change their opinion until the SLC issue a statement while apologising for their remarks which suggested that Test cricket have been bought over by Twenty20 cricket in the recent past.

The proposed deal between the SLC and the IPL also came into severe criticism and was condemned by the President of the International Cricket Council (ICC) David Morgan who believed that it was quite an unacceptable behaviour at a time when the SLC has to honour its summer tour to England in April/May next year.