BCCI mulls ending CSA's stake in Champions League T20

By: Mushtaq ahmad on 16:10

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Whatever happens between the BCCI and CSA, the South African teams' participation in the Champions League T20 is unlikely to be affected © Getty Images  Enlarge

Relations between the boards of India and South Africa are believed to have suffered a setback following the appointment of Haroon Lorgat as the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, ESPNcricinfo understands. At stake for CSA is its partnership in the lucrative Champions League Twenty20, and the hosting of a full series against India later this year.

The BCCI's concerns over Lorgat's appointment - formally announced on July 20 - were raised at a Champions League T20 meeting earlier this week, it is understood. The meeting in London, attended by representatives of BCCI, Cricket Australia and CSA, was not a pleasant one - one source said it got "very uncomfortable". The BCCI said it hadn't ruled out ending the CLT20 association with CSA, which like CA holds a stake, although South African teams' participation was to continue regardless.

When CSA announced Lorgat's appointment last week, it said it had been under BCCI pressure to do otherwise. Having gone ahead regardless, CSA and Lorgat said they hoped they could iron out their issues with the BCCI.

"We went to India and talked to the president of the BCCI and they raised their concerns about Haroon [Lorgat]," Chris Nenzani, the CSA president, said at that time. "We told them, 'We will not undermine your concerns but we will have to take decision based on the interests of CSA.' We have a long history of friendship and a good relationship with the BCCI, and we value that relationship. We have no reason to believe this appointment will jeopardise the relationship in any way."

Early rushes suggest CSA might have underestimated the BCCI's ire, which is believed to stem from Lorgat's promotion of DRS and his insistence on the implementation of the findings of the Woolf Report during his time as ICC chief executive.

CSA's next plan of action is to wait for a report on the meeting, which Naasei Appiah, the CSA CFO and its acting CEO in the London meeting, is preparing. It then hopes that Lorgat can salvage the relationship.

The BCCI's working committee, meanwhile, will meet on Sunday, and is expected to finalise its requirements regarding the schedule of India's tour of South Africa. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the acting president of the BCCI, told ESPNcricinfo that the board hadn't sent an alternative itinerary over to CSA yet, and was expected to do so only after the Sunday meeting.