MELBOURNE, July 30: Australia cricket officials met with their India counterparts on Wednesday as they attempt to resolve which international Twenty20 competition its state teams will compete in.

The Victoria and Western Australia teams have qualified to compete in an international competition between the world’s leading provincial teams, and there is doubt over where that competition will be and many of the terms of participation.

India says it will host a competition between the top teams of India, Australia, South Africa, England and Pakistan. It was initially scheduled to be held from late September to early October but had reportedly been delayed by disputes over player eligibility and financial terms.India has refused to host any team which contains players involved in the Indian Cricket League – a rival Twenty20 tournament that runs in competition against the officially sanctioned Indian Premier League.

Kent, one of the two sides set to represent England, has two ICL-aligned players in their squad: Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp of South Africa.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had decided to host its own international tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland and lawyer Dean Kino met Lalit Modi, the IPL supremo, in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss India’s plans.

“We are keen to see the best versus the best in a tournament and we are keen to see the best outcome for revenue into state cricket,” Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said.

“But there is so much uncertainty at this point, we are yet to reach the stage where the situation is as clear as mud.”—AP

Opinion

Editorial

Closed doors
Updated 08 Jan, 2025

Closed doors

The nation’s fate has been decided through secret deals for too long, with the result that the citizenry has become increasingly alienated from the state.
Debt burden
08 Jan, 2025

Debt burden

THE federal government’s total debt stock soared by above 11pc year-over-year to Rs70.4tr at the end of November,...
GB power crisis
08 Jan, 2025

GB power crisis

MASS protests are not a novelty in Pakistan, and when the state refuses to listen through the available channels —...
Fragile peace
Updated 07 Jan, 2025

Fragile peace

Those who have lost loved ones, as well as those whose property has been destroyed in the clashes, must get justice.
Captive power cut
07 Jan, 2025

Captive power cut

THE IMF’s refusal to relax its demand for discontinuation of massively subsidised gas supplies to mostly...
National embarrassment
Updated 07 Jan, 2025

National embarrassment

The global eradication of polio is within reach and Pakistan has no excuse to remain an outlier.