Revamping 'The Hundred', nominal Ind T20 League involvement in Modi's proposal to ECB

Lalit Modi has recently set forth a proposal to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with the potential to notably boost the board’s revenue, drawing parallels to the Ind T20 League’s business model. The proposal suggests a revampment of The Hundred, ECB’s tournament established in 2021, to line up with the T20 format. 

Salient elements of Modi’s proposal include an allotment of a USD 100 million purse for the players over 10 years and an assured USD 1 billion revenue into the vaults of the ECB. He visualises a 10-team league with minimum Ind T20 League team involvement, highlighting the importance of founding an English presiding league. “ I have suggested only two Ind T20 League teams; it has to be an English league and not India dominated," Modi said without disclosing details of his model.

Modi’s proposal coexists with ECB’s consideration of inviting private investors into its arrangement. Given Modi being banned for life by the Indian Cricket Board, the ECB is believed to look into his proposal only after consulting to the India board concerning the bilateral relations. 

"Being an sovereign and autonomous body, ECB is not obliged to consult the Indian Cricket Board but it may for the sake of bilateral relations with the Indian Cricket Board," said a source in the know. "The Indian Cricket Board is treating Modi as a pariah. While it continues to flourish on [his] invention but avoids the mention of his name. No commentator ever takes his name during the Ind T20 League," the source remarked.

There has been no response from the ECB as of now.

Hyderabad, Chennai open to investing in England

In other news, Ind T20 League are piquing interest in investing in the English league, with Hyderabad being the newest party to have come forward. As per sources Hyderabad’s owners, the Sun TV network, have been in discussions with the ECB officials. The final verdict on their expression of interest is expected in April when the ECB is believed to make a call on the privatisation of the game in the UK. 

Hyderabad’s optimism in investing abroad is strengthened by the success of their first overseas project, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, which has won both seasons of South Africa’s cricket league SA20. GMR Group, part owners of Delhi have also shown interest and have already begun negotiations with Hampshire county. 

Chennai have also expressed willingness to invest in English cricket, conditional to receiving a concrete offer, however no decision has been made yet. 

It is still uncertain whether Ind T20 League teams’ interest will have anything to do with Modi’s proposal or The Hundred, with signs emphasising the two being different entities. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Cricket Board refrained from talking about Ind T20 League sides investing in foreign leagues. When asked, Ind Cricket Board secretary Jay Shah deemed it as an internal matter of the board and the Ind T20 League, and any discussion on the matter would be held internally before bringing in the franchises. Formerly, the Indian Cricket Board had tried to dissuade the Ind T20 League teams from investing in foreign leagues.