ICC to meet BCCI, ICL to end dispute

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet on Monday in an attempt to end a dispute between the Indian Cricket board and an unofficial Twenty20 league.

The ICC president David Morgan confirmed he and chief executive Haroon Lorgat would meet Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Indian Cricket League (ICL) officials.

"I've long regarded it as a priority to bring together the BCCI and the owners of the ICL and I'm pleased to say we have fixed a meeting to take place in Johannesburg on Monday," he said in a statement.

"I hope we might be successful in coming to a mutually acceptable conclusion. I can't be certain that will be the case but I hope we can at least make a start in bringing about a settlement.

"I think this is significant because experience tells me that the best opportunity to solve a dispute is to have the parties face-to-face."

The ICL, bankrolled by one of India's largest media firms, launched the league following India's triumph in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007.

It roped in overseas players, particularly from Pakistan and New Zealand and Bangladesh, but the BCCI, concerned it would undermine its position, refused to recognise it and persuaded other national boards to ban players who signed up.

The ICL petitioned the ruling body last year for recognition and subsequently held a meeting with the Indian board in October, which ended in failure.

Informal efforts to solve the issue have since continued. Domestic media reports say the global financial downturn could soften the BCCI's stance and accord some kind of recognition to the league.