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Dubai: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are being talked about as the venues to host the Twenty20 Champions League but both the cricket councils do not seem to be aware of their venues being picked to host this tournament.
Speaking to Gulf News, Dilawar Mani, the President of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council, who is now in United States on a holiday, said: "We are not aware of this tournament being held here. No talks have been held nor has anyone sought our permission for the Abu Dhabi cricket stadium."
According to reports India and England are embroiled in a tug of war over the inaugural Twenty20 Champions league, with both India and England wanting to host it with or without each other. The tournament is to be contested by the top domestic teams from Australia, England, South Africa and India.
England has disagreed with certain terms and conditions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The BCCI has stated that it will not allow Kent, which is one of the top two teams to represent England in the tournament.
Pakistan's Azhar Mahmood and South Africa's Justin Kemp who plays for Kent had played in the Indian Cricket League, which is considered as BCCI's rebel tournament.
England has picked UAE as the venue and is hoping to stage the tournament on the same dates (September 29 to October 8) when India is also hoping to stage this event.
"The Emirates Cricket Board nor Sharjah Cricket Council has been contacted by anyone and till now we are not aware of any such tournament. We have read in the newspapers that such a tournament is being planned but we are yet to know anything about it even from Abu Dhabi," said Mazhar Khan, who is the administrator of the Emirates Cricket Board from Malaysia. Khan is in Malaysia as the manager of the UAE team that is playing in the Asian Cricket Council Trophy.
Mohammad Redha Abbas, the executive member of the Emirates Cricket board too confirmed that the board has not been given any proposal about staging such a tournament.
According to reports in India, the BCCI has turned down England's invitation to send two teams if the event is being held in UAE and has also informed England that their teams will not be welcome for the Champions League which they are planning to host in India.
It is doubtful whether Emirates Cricket Board, which has close links with the BCCI, may agree to allot their venues for a tournament challenging the authority of the BCCI.
The Dubai Cricket Stadium is nearing completion and would want India to play in tournaments here.
Tournaments involving India and Pakistan can only draw huge crowds in the UAE.
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