Kochi Expelled From Indian Premier League

The Kochi Tuskers Kerala have been suspended from the Indian Premier League over non-payment of monies owed to the Indian board (BCCI).

The franchise, bought in 2010 by the Rendezvous Sports Company, made its debut in 2011, finishing in eighth place under the captaincy of first Mahela Jayawardene and then Parthiv Patel.

They scored six wins and suffered eight defeats following a string of controversies off the field before the tournament even got underway with them having to revise their shareholding agreements to gain the approval of the BCCI to play in the fourth edition of the competition.

The franchise has now defaulted on its yearly payment and new BCCI president N. Srinavasan confirmed that they had been expelled from the league, adding that there appears no way back for them.

"Because of the irremediable breach committed by the Kochi franchise, the BCCI has decided to encash the bank guarantee in their possession and also terminate the franchise."

"We have terminated the franchise because the breach is not capable of being remedied," he added.

Any decision on a fresh auction to take up the vacant tenth team slot or whether the fifth season of the league will go ahead with nine teams, will rest with new IPL governing council, now led by Rajiv Shukla.

© Cricket World 2011