Allan Border calls IPL ‘just a money grab’, says can’t allow India to supersede international game

As the International Cricket Council gets all set to decide on the fate of the T20 World Cup, slated to take place in October-November in Australia, former Australian captain Allan Border has said that if the global tournament cannot go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic, then the same window should not be given to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The IPL, which is one of the most lucrative sporting tournaments in the world, has been postponed indefinitely but the BCCI members have indicated that they are open to histing tournament later in the year if a window is created.

"(I'm) not happy with that, the world game should take precedence over a local competition. So, the World T20, if that can't go ahead, I don't think the IPL can go ahead," Border said on ABC's Grandstand Cafe radio program.

"I would question that decision (to replace it) -- it's just a money grab, isn't it, that one? The World T20 should take precedence, for sure."

Border further said that the BCCI's monetary clout might eventually decide what will happen and said that cricket boards should stop their players from participating in the IPL.

"That would be just shut the gate, you know, India running the game. They're pretty close to it now, but I suppose if you're responsible for 80 percent of global (cricket) income, you're going to have a fair say in what goes on, I get that," Border said.

"But I think the world game can't allow that to happen. The home boards should stop their players going to the IPL if that's the case. I don't think you can have India superseding what the international game has in place. That would be going down the wrong path."

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts had earlier said that if the situation improves then the World Cup might go ahead as well, but the final decision rests with the ICC

"We don't have clarity on that one, yet. But as the situation continues to improve, you never know what might be possible," Roberts told News Corp. "It's ultimately a decision for the ICC."