NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Sunday decided to introduce the Twenty20 brand of the game in domestic cricket. Announcing the decision taken at the working committee meeting here, the Board treasurer N. Srinivasan said India had no choice but to accept the majority verdict in favour of Twenty20 at an International Cricket Council meeting recently.

India, along with Pakistan, had staunchly opposed the Twenty20 concept, but Mr. Srinivasan put things in perspective by acknowledging the decision of the majority of the ICC members. "The BCCI did not find any support in its opposition to Twenty20 and we accepted the decision with grace," said Mr. Srinivasan.

The ICC had announced after its executive board meeting in March that the Twenty20 world championship would be held annually. The BCCI had to agree to the members' decision having voted in favour of such a proposal in Sydney in 2005. India had managed to gain an exemption from playing in the 2007 World Cup. "Since we are anyway participating in the format, we decided to play in 2007 also," clarified the Board secretary Niranjan Shah. Interestingly, Rahul Dravid had recently supported playing the Twenty20 cricket. "I think Twenty20 has a place in domestic cricket," was Dravid's opinion.

India to send team

India will be sending a team for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup (to be held in South Africa in May-June next year). A preparatory competition will be held to pick the team sometime in April-May.

The Board would stage a Twenty20 tournament at the best possible slot available next season. "When India tours South Africa later this year, we will schedule a Twenty20 match too," said Mr. Srinivasan.

In another major decision, the Board decided to integrate the women's cricket body. "We have decided to support women's cricket fully and to begin with, the BCCI will provide financial support for the team's month-long tour to England (starting later this month)," Mr. Srinivasan announced.

The Board's ongoing battle with its former president Jagmohan Dalmiya entered a decisive phase with the matter being referred to the disciplinary committee. "Two showcause notices had been issued to Mr. Dalmiya and he had replied to only one. The House was of the opinion that the matter should be taken up by the disciplinary committee for appropriate action to be initiated against Mr. Dalmiya." Mr. Dalmiya is facing charges of alleged misappropriation of funds.

Pension scheme

In another decision related to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), the working committee approved the finance committee's decision to withhold the subsidy granted to the association. But the subsidy to all other association has been enhanced with the Board granting 25 crores to each unit for upgrading the infrastructure, according to Mr. Srinivasan.

For first-class cricketers, there was good news with the Board restructuring the pension scheme. Henceforth, a player in the 25-49 matches category would receive Rs 10,000 each month, while those who figure in the 50-74 grade would be given Rs 15,000 each month. For cricketers who have played 75 or more matches, the pension would be Rs 25,000 each month.

The Board, as decided at the meeting on Sunday, will establish its permanent headquarters at Mumbai soon with a "top class museum" to highlight the progress of the game and its administrators.

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