As PCB architected new T20 league; Kundra roped in to engineer IPL split

By Sandeep Bamzai
It appears that the Pakistan Cricket Board was architecting a renegade cricket league in tandem with "friendly" UAE minister for higher education and member of the ruling royal family Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak to break the back of the successful Indian Premier League.
Red faced after the BCCI-IPL slammed the door on Pakistani players for the third edition of the tourney, it used the good offices of Sheikh Nahyan who has built out cricket infrastructure in the UAE to rope in Rajasthan Royals co owner and British NRI Raj Kundra to engineer a split in the IPL. A livid IPL organiser IMG was so incensed with Kundra for jeopardizing the tourney that it broached the matter harshly with Lalit Modi. The now suspended IPL chairman in turn used another RR promoter Manoj Badale to rein in Kundra.
Sheikh Nahyan has been trying to morph into the role of a Kerry Packer type of sports impresario who can optimally utilise his infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and Dubai cogently using his unlimited financial resources. The PCB actively instigated Sheikh Nahyan in this endeavour. Sportzpower has in its possession all the relevant mails which highlight this nexus to trump the BCCI and IPL.
So, why was Raj Kundra acting as a loose cannon and unilaterally trying to rig up a renegade cricket league, without the approval of his cricketing mentor Lalit Modi? What was Kundra's motivation to chart out a course for himself? Pecuniary benefit only? If Modi was prescient enough to understand the dynamics of the BCCI's cricket politics, then why did Kundra not realise the implications of his actions?
Modi in his mail on 8 April to Kundra says, "Cricket politics goes beyond what one can see. There are wheels within wheels. I am just a custodian for Indian cricket and as such just doing my job." Why then did Kundra try to push the envelope? Kundra is CEO of London based UK Tradecorp and though he started out as a fashion retailer - RK Collections Ltd, he morphed over time into an importer of luxury clothing to the UK. Incidentally, UK Tradecorp is in the business of electrical goods.
Once on the UK rich list, Kundra came into real prominence by getting engaged to Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty and then acquiring a stake in 2008 IPL champions Rajasthan Royals. Kundra who spoke to this writer after picking up stake was introduced to the concept by then RR CEO Ravi Krishnan (earlier with IMG and now back with them) initially refused to park his money in RR as he "felt valuations were cuckoo".
From Kundra's correspondence with Modi, it is clear that he was fronting for Sheikh Nahyan who has been building out cricketing infrastructure in the UAE aggressively. What the missive exchange also throws into stark relief is that Sheikh Nahyan was going ahead with a rebel cricket league with or without the BCCI on board. Still more importantly, the Pakistan Cricket Board (in conjunction with a consortium) smarting under the BCCI/IPL slap of not picking Pakistani players for season 3 was willing to commit $ 10 million per annum for 10 years on this venture. Interestingly, Kundra also mentions in his correspondence that during the course of the initial meetings with Sheikh Nahyan, he also met Amitabh Bachchan, Amar Singh and Sanjay Dutt.
Now what pray was this troika doing in cricket related matters? So many unanswered questions.

So, if Kundra was not representing Modi, was he Sheikh Nahyan's agent provocateur in the IPL? Sheikh Nahyan is the chairman of the all powerful financial investor - Abu Dhabi Group - which has big investments in Pakistan. It owns Bank Alfalah, Warid Telecom, Wateen Telecom, Taavun et al. Incidentally Sheikh Nahyan has been conferred the highest civilian honour in Pakistan, the Hilal e Pakistan. Was this Pakistan Cricket Board's way of getting back at the BCCI/IPL and Lalit Modi for treating its players shabbily during the auctions process earlier this year? Appears so prima facie. Otherwise, why is Kundra so vehement in going ahead with this "unauthorised cricket".
Kundra reckons in his missives to the other partners of RR - Manoj Badale, Lachlan Murdoch and Nigerian NRI Suresh Chellaram who is also Modi's brother in law that all monetary opportunities need to be explored and exploited relating to IPL. SportzPower which has in its possession the trail mails throws into stark relief Kundra's real intent. In fact, the war of words between Modi and Kundra had got to fever pitch by the end of it. The BCCI and ECB's lie was also nailed in the process. That Modi was the progenitor of the idea of a renegade cricket league.

The entire trail email between the stakeholders is out now . found it quite sensational after reading once .