Decision on number of matches in IPL-4 on Friday

A decision on the number of matches to be played in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will top the agenda of the Twenty20 League's Governing Council meeting in Mumbai, on Friday.

Passing of the IPL-3 accounts is also in the priority list of the agenda.

The BCCI marketing committee will also meet to decide on the sponsors for Test series, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals for a period from September 1 this year to March 31, 2013.

The BCCI's finance committee is also scheduled to meet on Friday.

While eight teams were in the fray in the first three editions, IPL-4 will feature 10 teams after the addition of Sahara Pune Warriors and Kochi franchise.

Sources say the organisers may go for a shorter edition in terms of the number of matches.

"Playing 94 matches is not possible especially in the months of April-May-June when IPL-4 is to be held. May be we will go for 73-74 matches in all," they said.

According to sources, pruning of the duration of the tournament is inevitable with media reports claiming that a key member of the Indian team management has written to the BCCI to cut down the team's schedule to avoid player burnout and injuries.

Board secretary N Srinivasan has denied receiving any such letter but IPL which will be days after the conclusion of 2011 World Cup, may go for a new format.

"A three-member committee has been formed (former cricketers Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri) and they will give their opinion. There are 3-4 different opinions. We will finalise it during the meeting," the source said.

The IPL meeting, however, is unlikely to take any decision on the contentious issue of retention of players when the grand players' auction is next held.

With two new franchises -- Pune and Kochi -- entering the fray, there are varied views about how many players,  Indian and foreign, can be retained by the original eight franchises.

According to the sources that process "will be done after the Champions League (from September 10-26) and the auction will take place after October or November."

The Governing Council would also pass the 2010 accounts of the League at the meeting.

The BCCI's marketing committee will open the bids the Board has received from corporate houses through a tender process for sponsorship of Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals in India and featuring the hosts for 31 months beginning this September.

The committee will open the financial bids in the morning in the presence of the bidders.

"The reserve price has been fixed as Rs two crore per match. A total of ten bid documents have been purchased (at Rs 2 lakh each)," informed BCCI's chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty.

The Board has debarred agencies, including those engaged in audio-video production services of live cricket, from participating in the bidding or representing any corporate entity in the process.