Season 6 could feature 10 teams in the cash-rich IPL in 2013 if Deccan Chargers are cleared by the court to participate after BCCI dramatically terminated the franchise at an emergency meeting of the governing council on Friday night.
Chargers moved Bombay HC against the termination on Saturday morning and a further hearing of the case is on Monday, according to a media release from the cricket board.
BCCI’s working committee decided to consider floating a tender for a new team and then expand the competition to 10 teams if the court rules in favour of the Charger’s continued participation.
Chargers’ fate will be decided by court
With the BCCI-Deccan Chargers matter reaching the Bombay high court on Saturday and the matter being sub judice, the Cricket Board could not make public the decision it may have taken to add a new team for the coming IPL season while leaving it to the court to rule on the Deccan Chargers’ participation.
After Deccan Chargers contract with IPL was terminated on Friday night, Deccan Chronicles Holdings Ltd. the owners of the franchise moved the Bombay High Court seeking a stay against the BCCI decision.
The counsels of both the sides were in Court on Saturday but it did not pass any order staying the termination, according to BCCI. The matter has now been placed for hearing on Monday.
“In view of the matter being sub-judice, we have not taken any decision on Saturday. We will discuss about floating a fresh tender for a new IPL team,” a top BCCI official said on condition of anonymity told a news agency.
Deccan Chargers also met BCCI stipulations to ‘cure the breaches.’ It is learnt the Chargers have paid the money to clear the dues to the players for the 2012 season by handing over a draft for close to Rs 33 crore to BCCI from a private bank.
BCCI had received a notice invoking arbitration from the franchise stating it had not committed any breaches and even if such breaches were committed, the Board should not terminate the franchise till Yes Bank Ltd furnishes sufficient finance to cure the breaches.