IPL 2022 Mega Auction – Ahmedabad IPL Franchise: The fate of new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise of Ahmedabad is almost sealed. InsideSport has learnt that the BCCI & IPL Governing Council is set to give GREEN SIGNAL to ownership of CVC Capital Ventures for the Ahmedabad team & the announcement will be made coming week. Meanwhile due to the delay in decision on Ahmedabad franchise, the IPL 2022 Mega-Auction will also get delayed by a week or so – Follow all IPL 2022 LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
According to well placed sources, the IPL 2022 Auctions will now be conducted in 2nd week of January. The window for two new IPL teams (Lucknow & Ahmedabad) to name 3 players out of auction will also be extended from December 25th to December 31st.
“The Ahmedabad team issue will be sorted next week. Though the IPL GC will formally finalize and announce the Mega-Auction dates but it is likely to be conducted in 2nd week of January”, said one of the top BCCI official after attending AGM in Kolkata.
IPL 2022 Mega Auctions: Ahmedabad IPL franchise issue ‘almost sorted’, but IPL Auctions set to be delayed
Ahmedabad IPL Franchise: It is worth noting that BCCI had formed a neutral panel on Saturday to look into the matter of CVC Capital Partners ownership of Ahmedabad franchise. The panel is yet to give its formal report but the initial information suggest that the investment company will be given a GREEN-CHIT by the panel and the BCCI.
CVC Capital Partners were the second-highest bidder, as the BCCI brought in two new franchises starting IPL 2022. CVC won the Ahmedabad franchise for Rs 5,625 crore, the Lucknow franchise went to Sanjiv Goenka-owned RPSG Group for Rs 7,090 crore.
Why CVC ownership is under scanner? CVC’s acquisition of an IPL franchise, however, had been questioned because of their investments into betting companies. Under the ‘portfolio companies’ list on the CVC Capital Partners’ website is Tipico, which is a sports betting and online gaming company. Another link to the gaming & betting industry comes from Sisal, a betting gaming and payments, consumer/retail company.
These links were questioned by some including the former IPL Boss Lalit Modi who posted: “I guess betting companies can buy an IPL team. must be a new rule. Apparently, one qualified bidder also owns a big betting company. what next? does BCCI not do their homework? what can Anti-corruption do in such a case? #cricket”.
This has resulted in lengthy due diligence process by the BCCI. The board according to information with InsideSport has taken at least half a dozen of legal opinions since then & most have cleared CVC ownership. Finally on Saturday, the IPL GC decided to form a neutral panel with legal luminaries on board to decide the Ahmedabad franchise matter.
When the IPL 2022 Mega Auctions will take place?
The IPL 2022 Retentions have already taken place with all 8 IPL franchise announcing their retentions on 30th November. As per the earlier deadline, now it was the turn of both Lucknow & Ahmedabad franchise to announce their 3 signings before the IPL Auctions.
Both the teams were scheduled to unveil their 3 players before the set deadline of 25th December. But now that deadline is likely to be pushed till 31st December.
This clearly means that IPL 2022 Auctions will also be delayed due to the development & will now only be conducted in 2nd week of January.
Meanwhile, Brijesh Patel and Khairul Jamal Majumdar were re-elected unopposed as the members of the IPL governing council along with Pragyan Ojha as player’s representative in BCCI AGM in Kolkata on Saturday.
The seven-member IPL governing council now consists of two office-bearers (secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal), CEO (Hemang Amin), one
representative from Cricketers’ Association (Ojha), a nominee of the CAG (CM Sane) and two members elected by the AGM (Patel and Majumdar).
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