Lalit Modi Welcomes BCCIs Stance on IPL Expansion to 12 Teams
Lalit Modi praises BCCIs decision to dismiss talks of expanding IPL to 12 teams, emphasizing the need for a revised tournament schedule.
New Delhi, November 13 (Daily Kiran) : Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has expressed his approval of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to dismiss the idea of expanding the league to 12 teams at this time. He emphasized the necessity of revising the tournament’s schedule to accommodate a mandatory format of 94 matches while avoiding the extreme heat of late May.
Modi’s remarks came after BCCI Secretary Devjeet Saikia stated that there had been no formal or informal discussions regarding increasing the number of teams from 10 to 12 by 2028. On social media platform X, Modi stated, “I am pleased that this official statement has put an end to speculation about 12 teams for now. I have also shown you all what needs to be done to implement the mandatory format of 94 matches in the future.”
He advocated for changes to the tournament calendar, arguing that even if the BCCI cannot implement the format he proposed, it is still essential to adjust the tournament’s schedule. Modi suggested starting the tournament earlier, in the third week of February, to avoid the intense heat of the last three weeks in May. “You cannot escape climate change; I’m sorry. We must adapt accordingly and not ignore the reality at the expense of other cricket events,” he added.
Saikia recently noted that the board’s immediate priority is the 2027 edition, which will mark the 20th season of the IPL. He also mentioned that no steps have yet been taken to increase the budget for teams from 125 crore to 150 crore ahead of the mega auction in 2027. The auction scheduled for December 16 will be the last of the current cycle.
