Zee launches Rs 100-crore cricket league

New Delhi April 3 If you can't get a share of the game, create your own. And that's what Zee Group's gone ahead and announced, the Indian Cricket League waving a prize-money of $1 million (Rs 4.28 crore).

Mr Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zee Group announcing the new league, a joint venture between Essel Group and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), committed a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore, about a tenth of its failed bid in 2004 for the television rights of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"A professional league is the need of the hour as is a killer instinct in the players," said Mr Chandra. "It is time for some or one of us in the private and public sectors to step up and partner together to commit the financial resources necessary to help the sport which is a national obsession," he added, stating that the league was not in conflict, but complementary to the BCCI. The BCCI meanwhile has acknowledged receiving a letter from Mr Chandra "seeking permission to start the Indian Cricket League". The Board is however yet to take a decision on the matter, clarified the BCCI Secretary, Mr Niranjan Shah.