O’Donohoe hopeful Indians will join CPL T20

Chief executive officer of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20, Damien O'Donohoe, is hopeful that with the change of leadership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opportunities will arise for future involvement of Indian players in the regional tournament.

Currently, Indian players, as per a policy of the BCCI, are not allowed to participate in domestic Twenty20 tournaments outside of India.

"At the moment, the BCCI does not allow any of their players to play outside of India," O'Donohoe told The Sunday Gleaner.

"However, hopefully with changes at the ICC and the BCCI, it will open up opportunities for at least young Indian players to come and play in the CPL."

O'Donohoe, who outlined that the CPL could benefit tremendously from the participation of Indian players, is banking his hopes on the BCCI changing their player-release rules, particularly with the recent election of popular leader Shashank Manohar as president of the ICC, and subsequently Anurag Thakur as president of the BCCI.

CHANGE AGENT

Manohar, an Indian lawmaker who earlier this year relinquished his post as president of the BCCI to take up his ICC position, is viewed by many as a change agent within the sport, particularly given his recent stance on equality and calls for lesser domination by the 'Big Three' of Australia, India and England in world cricket.

Thakur, in the meanwhile, is a 41-year-old Indian politician who is seen by some as a reformist administrator, given a slew of new proposals tabled since his elevation.

The BCCI player embargo has resulted in cricket fans outside of India being unable to witness live Indian players such as world-leading batsman Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Shickhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma.

O'Donohoe, in the meantime, who is anticipating what he describes as "the best-ever CPL tournament yet'', in this its fourth season, also expressed that the all-star cast that has been assembled this year should electrify fans.

"We have added to the tournament this year a number of world class players," he stressed.

"This includes players such as AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn, and Brendon McCullum.

"These players, coupled with other international stars, plus our very own, will make it the biggest and best line-up we have ever had and second only to the Indian Premier League."

The CPL, which has Trinbago Knight Riders as defending champions, is set to bowl off on on Wednesday at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaica Tallawahs, led by Chris Gayle, will bowl off their campaign next Saturday away to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park, St Kitts.