India cricket board panel to study IPL suspensions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-33594003

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India's cricket board has formed a committee to study a Supreme Court panel order that suspended two top Indian Premier League (IPL) teams for two years over a corruption scandal.

The four-member panel, which includes former India captain Sourav Ganguly, will submit its findings in six weeks.

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were found guilty in an illegal betting and match-fixing probe.

The IPL is the richest of the world's Twenty20 cricket leagues.

The panel was formed on Monday by the head of the IPL, Rajeev Shukla, Indian media reports said.

It will take a final decision on the fate of the two teams that have been singled out for suspension.

Chennai Super Kings are led by India skipper MS Dhoni, while the Royals are led by the Australian batsman Steve Smith.

Chennai have reached four IPL finals, winning in 2010 and 2011. The Royals won the inaugural tournament in 2008.

The Supreme Court's three-member panel said last week that the suspension of the two teams was to protect "the integrity of the game".

The panel also suspended the Royals' co-owner Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan of Chennai Super Kings from all cricket-related activities for life.

Last year, the top court had found Mr Meiyappan, son-in-law of former Indian cricket board chief Narayanaswami Srinivasan, and Mr Kundra, guilty on charges of betting and passing on information to illegal bookmakers.

Mr Srinivasan, who has been banned from holding any post in India's cricket board, where he served as president for three years from 2011, has a stake in Chennai Super Kings.