MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said the umpires named in the sting operation conducted by news broadcaster India TV have been suspended pending further enquiry.

The news channel had recently conducted a sting wherein six international umpires from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were caught on camera agreeing to fix Twenty20 matches in exchange for bribes.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) and its relevant Full Member Boards have agreed not to appoint any of the umpires named in a sting operation recently conducted by India TV to any domestic or international cricket matches pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations into the allegations made," the ICC said in a statement.

"The officials named are not contracted by the ICC and those Boards which employ and nominate the umpires directly will conduct the investigations as a matter of urgency," the ICC clarified.

The sting operation called "Operation World Cup" had revealed how umpires Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Nadir Shah of Bangladesh, and Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage of Sri Lanka were willing to fix decisions and share information like pitch report, weather report, toss report and playing elevens in exchange for money.

The accused have however denied the allegations saying that they were trapped by the channel. The news broadcaster had said that the seventh umpire Sharfudoullah Shahid Saikat of Bangladesh refused to give any favour in lieu of money.

MUMBAI: Softening its stance towards Sri Lanka Premier League, the Indian cricket board has said it is open to allowing its players to participate in the tournament.

BCCI president N Srinivasan has said that the cricket board would examine the request by SLC once the proposal comes to the table.

"Last time around, there were specific reasons why the BCCI could not support the tournament. And we informed the Sri Lankan board at that time. This time, if there are any proposals made, we will examine it. And we have to be satisfied that the doubts and problems we had last time will not continue," Srinivasan said.

The SLPL, which will be played from 10-31 August at Colombo and Pallekele, had failed to take off last year due BCCI?s refusal to allow Indian players in the tournament thereby hurting the tournament?s commercial viability in the Indian market.

Last time around, the BCCI had contended that the contract with SEV, the commercial rights holder of SLPL, does not safeguard the financial interests of the Indian players.

The BCCI also suspected that former IPL chairman Lalit Modi had interests in SLPL, a charge that was vehemently denied by both SEV and SLC.

The first edition of SLPL Twenty20 will feature seven provincial teams who will play a total of 24 matches with a compulsory ruling of no more than six overseas players in each squad.

The seven teams for SLPL are Basnahira Bears, Kandurata Kites, Nagenahira Nagas, Ruhuna Rhinos, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns, and Wayamba Wolves.

However, teams can field only four overseas players in the playing 11, while the remaining seven players will be Sri Lankans, with one player mandatorily being an under-21 cricketer.

All the matches of SLPL will be televised live, with Carlton Sports Network broadcasting the matches in the home market of Sri Lanka. CSN is reportedly owned by family members of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka.

MUMBAI: The newly-appointed New Zealand Cricket (NZC) CEO David White has been briefed about the progress being made by Cricket Holdings America LLC (CHALLC) towards bringing a professional Twenty20 league to the United States of America (USA).

White, who took over at NZC in January, met Neil Maxwell, a NZC-appointed director of CHALLC, in Auckland. White said: ?It was very exciting to hear from Neil about the progress that has already been made to turn the dream of professional Twenty20 cricket in the USA into reality.

?Neil briefed me on all aspects of the project and I am looking forward to working with CHALLC and the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) to take matters forward over the coming weeks and months.?

CHALLC is a joint venture between NZC and the USACA for the development of cricket within the USA. It is targetting the launch of a Twenty20 league next year.

Maxwell said, ?It was good to sit down with David to bring him up to speed on what CHALLC is doing. Since Keith Wyness?s appointment as CHALLC?s CEO last month we have had a significant number of people contacting us, not only to congratulate Keith on his new role but also enquiring how they can get involved in the project.

?That level of interest is extremely encouraging and we look forward to taking matters forward with ever-increasing momentum.?