Mr. Modi was quoted saying, “If we are able to get people to Twenty20 we are only enlarging the pie: you will see them go and watch one-day and Test cricket”. He also stated that Indian Premier League’s first season outside India has been a tremendous success story and gives him the courage and opportunity to take IPL across the globe gradually and build Cricket as a prominent International Sport.

He also stated that England is still in his plans for IPL even if it lacked behind this time from South Africa. Here is what Mr. Modi said:

"Currently we haven't examined the UK yet. We just had a tremendous success in our first season outside of India," he said.

"This actually now opens a whole new area for us and we are now going to be examining games overseas. Where and when will be played is still matter to be debated and studied. The cricketing calendar in England is full so that would have to be taken into account."

When asked about the recent confusion on inclusion of IPL and Champions League in the ICC’s FTP, he said it was a mere miscommunication as they don’t require a slot in FTP when a natural slot already exists.

"There was a miscommunication as far as I'm concerned," Modi said about the report. "We have never propagated that we should be part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the IPL or the Champions League because I think there is a natural window for these two events," he said.

"We never asked for one and we are never going to ask for one," he was quoted as saying by the 'Guardian’.

Modi was recently reported by the IPL website as claiming that the Champions League had been slotted into the FTP but ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat's contradicted him.

Modi said he was confident that various members of the ICC would sit together to find space for the events like the IPL and Champions League. "Going forward we will be working along with members and work out a solution in the new FTP which is in discussion," he said.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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