IPL 2023 has currently been the world’s biggest league in all aspects, whether it is money, involvement of the world’s biggest players, or a massive fan following on social media. However, things could change quickly because Saudi Arabia has offered the owners of IPL teams the opportunity to create the richest T20 league in their country.
Saudi Arabia is hoping to invest in cricket after massively investing in other sports such as football and Formula One. They have also discussed this with the BCCI in order for Indian players to be able to participate in this league. This situation has now heightened BCCI’s tension.
The Saudi government is also apparently aiming to bring in Indian boards and Indian Premier tournament (IPL) clubs for its T20 tournament, on which the BCCI has already made a decision. The BCCI has said unequivocally that their players will not be released for the T20 league in Saudi Arabia.
In response to the news of the board’s rule modification, a BCCI insider stated, “There is no question of releasing the Indian players.”
The BCCI has traditionally refused to release its players for international T20 tournaments, however the BCCI assures that each overseas board receives 10% of each overseas player’s wage without deducting anything from their revenues. For this year’s IPL, the BCCI has partnered with the Saudi government and its companies, with the Saudi Tourism Authority and the world’s largest oil giant Aramco sponsoring the league.
