Slowdown hits ICL, Grand Championship postponed till October 2009
ICL on February 12 postponed its Grand Championship tournament, which was scheduled for March 2009 to October 2009. With this postponement, ICL has packaged the World Series Twenty20 and the Grand Championship to October-November 2009, the reason being the absence of the Pakistani players of Lahore Badshahs and the current economic slowdown.
The political scenario revolving around the recent terror attacks that took place in Mumbai has taken its toll on cricket as well. Essel Group’s Indian Cricket League (ICL) on February 12 announced that the Grand Championship, which was scheduled for March 2009, had been postponed to later half of this year along with World Series Twenty20 tournament. Now, the Grand Championship has been packaged the World Series Twenty20, to be played in October-November 2009.
The absence of Pakistani players of the Lahore Badshahs team and the current economic slowdown have been cited as the prime reasons for postponing the tournament.
Following this decision, the sponsors of the game are also likely to take a hit. However, the domestic tournament of ICL will be held as scheduled in Chandigarh from March 6-19, 2009.
Himanshu Mody, Business Head of ICL, said, “The non-availability of the Pakistani players of Lahore Badshahs, who are the ICL’s biggest draw, is a other major reason for the cancellation of the March tournament, which will be replaced by one involving Indian players. The October edition of the World Series is on schedule as of now.”
