IPL-4 begins today

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister of India Cricket League bandwagon rolls into action today with the organizers hope to India's World Cup victory last weekend's competition will regain some of its radiance lost.

The edition of this year - spread over 51 days and 74 games with 13 locations - will be the first after the ouster of outspoken founder Lalit Modi, who was forced last year under a cloud of allegations corruption.

The future of the tournament had looked in doubt amid claims of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion and secret deals to hide the real owners of the teams and even links to the underworld of India.

But a massive public relations exercise by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has assured the IPL has kept his date with fans and sponsors and advertisers are hungry for their share of the huge commercial cake.

IPL CEO Sundar Raman has dismissed fears that the cricket fans in India, still recovering from the celebrations after the victory Saturday against Sri Lanka in the last World Cup, could suffer from overload sports.

"The success of the Indian team at the World Cup did (IPL) more interesting," Raman told AFP, saying the tournament would "pick up where the World Cup has ended."

"The fans are already in cricket and celebrate the victory of India. We are confident to build on the success of the last edition."

IPL this year, the fourth time he has been held, will be two new teams in Kerala and Kochi Tuskers Warriors Pune, taking the total number of franchises to 10.