The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has signed a ten-year deal with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for $45 million.
The deal was confirmed at the SLC headquarters in the presence of BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, Sri Lankan sports minister Gamini Lokuge, and SLC CEO Duleep Mendis.
As per the agreement, the SLC has agreed to release the players for the Indian Premier League and the Champions League for the next 10 years and to support the BCCI on the ICL issue.
Earlier, when SLC was headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, the ties had hit a low between the two countries. He had refused to commit their players for the IPL and allowed five players associated with the rebel league ICL to take part in a domestic tournament. Ranatunga was later on sacked by the Sri Lankan sports minister Gamini Lokuge.
"The SLC has agreed to release its players for the upcoming IPL tournament and we are to come to a long-term agreement concerning the Twenty20 showpiece. India and Sri Lanka had a good relationship when it came to cricket. More tours will take place between the two countries in time to come. We have also come to a conclusion to stand by the BCCI stance with regard to the ICL,” Lokuge told reporters.
