'West Indies players will be playing in Indian Premier League'

In a bit of relief for West Indies cricket, IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal has said its players will be allowed to compete in the cash-rich league, putting to rest speculations of them being ignored from the event after the team's abrupt cancellation of India tour. 

A livid BCCI suspended all bilateral cricket tours with West Indies and decided to initiate legal proceedings against the WICB for abruptly cancelling its tour of India last week. 

But Biswal assured the maroon brigade that its players will not be stopped from participating in IPL next year. 

"West Indies players will be playing in IPL," said Biswal after the Working Committee meeting in Hyderabad. 

Meanwhile the Twenty20 tournament is scheduled to kickstart on April 9, 2015 just after the ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. 

"IPL-8 will begin from April 9 next year and the franchises will get 11 days for preparation of the T20 league after the end of the World Cup," a member of the IPL Governing Council told PTI. 

He also said that the franchises have asked for compensation for hosting IPL 7 in the UAE. 

"The franchises have asked to compensate for the 15 days of IPL 7 held outside the country. The BCCI auditors will decide on the amount of compensation," he added. 

However, BCCI joint secretary and Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association president Anurag Thakur said that a formal announcement regarding the West Indies players' IPL participation will be made later. 

Image: The West Indies cricket team

Photo: BCCI