Ahmedabad stadium in ICL's radar

New Delhi: The rebel Indian Cricket League has offered to renovate and use the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad, and are hopeful of a deal coming through, IANS has learnt.

The offer was received by Ahmedabad's municipal authority. "This is a good proposal from Kiran More to upgrade the stadium to international standards," the city's municipal commissioner IP Gautam said.

Gautam added that similar arrangements have earlier worked in Hyderabad and Gurgaon, where the second edition of the ICL's Twenty20 tournament were played, along with its first venue at Panchkula.

"This sort of arrangement has worked in Hyderabad and Gurgaon. We will study the proposal and its terms and conditions. More wants the stadium only for a month or two in a year," he said.

Former Indian wicketkeeper and chief selector Kiran More, now part of the ICL's executive board, had a meeting with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The ICL offered Rs 7-8 crore for renovation of the picturesque stadium and pay a rent to the authorities. An alternative offer was also proposed, that the AMC would renovate the ground and charge a rent from the ICL.

The ICL is not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The BCCI had directed all its affiliate members to not allow them to use their stadiums, else it would not allow them to host international cricket matches.

The Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium in Hyderabad used to host international matches earlier, but with the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium now developed, the BCCI has opted to keep it as its premier venue in the city.

The stadium at Motera is one of BCCI's premier venues for Test and One-day International cricket.

"We just talked. It is too early to say anything," Kiran More told IANS after his meeting with the Ahmedabad Municipal board, but was positive of the outcome.