IPL shake-up: Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab axed

Cracking the whip, the Governing Council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday terminated the contracts of two glamour franchisees – Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, sending tectonic tremors in the cash-rich annual event and inviting shock and dismay of the Bollywood divas who co-own the teams.

A showcase notice was served on IPL?s power-struggle riven Kochi team too for its failure to come back to the BCCI with a CEO.

A legal battle is in the offing between the teams the BCCI which controls the IPL.

“It was unanimously decided that the Franchise agreements with K.P.H. Dream Cricket Pvt. Ltd. [Kings XI Punjab] and Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd. [Rajasthan Royals] be terminated forthwith based on the Legal opinions obtained by BCCI in the matters,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a media release.

“It is shocking. But I will speak on this later after seeing the termination contract,” Raj Kundra, owner of Rajasthan Royals, told a TV channel soon after the news spread.

His wife and Bollywood siren Shilpa Shetty said she was too shocked to react while co-owner of Kings XI Punjab, actor Preity Zinta, said ?she was shocked but keeping faith in god who is looking out for her?.

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who is now hounded by the BCCI, was earlier accused of having financial connections with these two teams.

The Governing Council of the IPL met at MCA Recreation Centre, BKC, Mumbai to discuss and decide on the breaches committed by three of the Franchisees viz., K.P.H. Dream Cricket Pvt. Ltd., Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd. and the Unincorporated Joint Venture holding the Kochi Franchise.

“It was further unanimously decided to issue a Notice to the Unincorporated Joint Venture holding the Kochi Franchise calling upon them to resolve all their disputes and form a Joint Venture Company which will hold the IPL Franchise rights,” the release said.

Accordingly, P R Raman, Advocate for BCCI, has been given instructions to issue all the three Notices, said BCCI honorary secretary
N Srinivasan.

Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, one of the owners of the Kings XI Punjab team, said she is shocked by the decision of the Indian cricket body to terminate the contract of the franchise.

“Still absorbing the News! After working so hard in the IPL & putting my everything building this team dis [this] is not what I expected! Shocked !” she tweeted.

“Thank you guys for all ur msgs & support. I know there is a god up there and he is looking out for me :-),” he posted on her Twitter account.

Shilpa Shetty, Bollywood actor and stakeholder of Rajasthan Royals team, earlier also said she was too shocked to react immediately on the termination of the franchise contract for alleged breaches by the teams.

“Still havnt received the termination, will react after.Need to know the basis of this decision,” she tweeted from London.

“This is 4 all those who want my reaction ‘Honestly too shocked to react, just disheartened..cause its more than just a team 4 us!” she posted on Twitter.

Meanwhile, former union minister and Kochi IPL team associate Shashi Tharoor said the time given by the Indian cricket board to the Kochi franchise to resolve its dispute and come forward with clarity on ownership and control, should be used in the best possible manner.

?I think it is a lease of life to get their act together,? Tharoor said soon after the BCCI ultimatum.

The BCCI has given Kochi time till Oct 21 to form a company and appoint CEO and come back to it.

?I think the time the BCCI has given is used well,? Tharoor said.

He said the BCCI seemed serious about running the IPL well.

?They [Kochi] should resolve their differences so that young people of Kerala, who are excited and energized, are not left disappointed,? Tharoor said.

Regarding the Kochi franchise internal power struggle issue, Tharoor said: ?It appears to be essentially a dispute of a control and control is an ego issue. At the end of the it if you control 25 or 75 percent of nothing, it comes to nothing.?

?So they should solve the dispute and put out a good team on the field,? he said.