Twenty20 World champions India have been invited by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford to play a USD 5 million winner-take-all match against the Stanford Super Star team in June next year.
Sir Allen, the financier behind the Stanford Twenty20 tournament in Antigua, proposed the match before India's five-run win over Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup final at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Monday.
"Since this is the first Twenty20 World championship and that is the format of our tournament, we felt it was fitting to have this team come and play our Super Star team next year," Stanford was quoted as saying in the West Indian media.
The Super Star team will be chosen from the players participating in the Stanford Twenty20 regional tournament scheduled for January 25 to February 24 next year.
West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte strongly supported the match against India to be held on June 29 next year.
However, if India do not accept the invitation, Stanford is expected to approach Australia, the report said.
The proposed match against India follows the decision of the Stanford Twenty20 Board not to proceed with efforts to stage an annual international USD 25 million Twenty20 Series.
It is understood that the decision to abandon the plan followed the lack of a response on its feasibility from ESPNStar, which holds broadcasting rights to ICC events.
