BCCI issues Twenty20 warning

Twenty20 cricket has yet to be fully embraced in India © Getty Images Enlarge

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has threatened its contracted players with disciplinary action if they take part in the National Twenty20 competition currently being held in the country. Dismissed by Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, as a "tennis ball cricket tournament", the championship was rumoured to have a number of Ranji Trophy cricketers set to take part.

Neither the BCCI nor the International Cricket Council (ICC) has chosen to recognise the national championship, which began on Monday. The BCCI have never hidden their scepticism over the 20-over format of the game and only reluctantly agreed to send the national team to the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa next year.

"All first-class cricketers have a contract with the BCCI which has a clause that states to take part in any tournament or matches that are not recognised by the BCCI, they will need to have the board's permission," MP Pandove, joint honorary secretary of the BCCI and Punjab Cricket Association, told the Times of India. "District level players and umpires also too need prior permission from their respective associations. Anyone can organise a cricket tournament these days, but who cares for such events. This tournament is not recognised by the BCCI or ICC, and they cannot claim it to be a national event."

However, Piyush Rana, the Twenty20 Cricket Federation secretary general, insisted that the tournament was very much a valid one. He clarified that there was no ill-motive involved in the event: "We have also registered our trademark, logo, copyrights, intellectual property rights in accordance with international patent law and hence we are the real body to conduct the tournaments."