The cloud of uncertainty that had gathered over edition three of the Karnataka Premier League lifted substantially on Tuesday following a meeting between officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association and representatives of six of the eight franchisees.
There is still no clarity on exactly when the Twenty20 tournament will be held, but after the confabulations which KSCA secretary Javagal Srinath said were positive, it is obvious now that only a few nitty-gritties remain to be worked out before the event gets under way.
Representatives of the KPL’s most expensive team, Bangalore Brigadiers, and Shamanur Davangere Diamonds, didn’t make it to Tuesday’s meeting, but there are indications that their initial desire to disassociate themselves from the competition might be giving way to a more accommodating stance.
“We had a good meeting with the six franchises who attended today’s discussions, and it was unanimously decided to go ahead with KPL III,” Srinath told newsmen. “The one issue we haven’t yet settled is the tournament dates. One argument favours having the tournament as a precursor to the IPL, which has validity. But the other topic revolves around giving the teams enough time to promote themselves in the right manner and to look for sponsorships, which means it could be held in June-July. We will discuss this in detail and arrive at a date convenient to all.”
Srinath confirmed that the KPL will move beyond Bangalore this time. “The idea behind KPL is to promote the game in mofussil areas, so we will have many games outside Bangalore,” the former India paceman said.
“By watching the games, more kids in those areas will be inspired to take up the game. Also, our academies in the mofussil centres will be functional shortly, after which the franchises can practice there itself and be region-based.”
The KSCA, Srinath announced, had parted ways with Frontiers Group India, who brought the idea of KPL to the KSCA and helped run various parts of it in the first two years. “They are no longer involved with the KPL. We will conduct the tournament ourselves; if needed, we will also take some professional help.”
Sources, meanwhile, revealed that at the meeting also attended by KSCA president Anil Kumble, the association assured the franchises that profits made out of KPL III would be ploughed back into the game and to the franchises to ease the burden on them.