New IPL franchises to be announced

Lalit Modi has confirmed bids to become the new franchises will be opened on March 8 in Mumbai

The Indian Premier League will announce the two new franchises to be added to the Twenty20 tournament on March 8, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has revealed.

Modi said 12 cities are in contention, including four which are already hosting matches this season.

“Tenders can be collected from the Board of Control for Cricket in India office or the IPL office from February 21,” Modi said.

“The bids will be opened on March 8 in Mumbai. Details of the bidding process for two new teams will be in the tender document.”

The cities in the fray are Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kanpur, Dharamsala, Indore, Cuttack, Gwalior and Vishakapatnam.

Modi also indicated cities such as Rajkot, Pune, Vadodara and Kochi, which are in the process of building stadiums, may bid for teams.

The new team franchisees will be granted access to venues hosting matches during the third edition of the IPL so as to familiarise themselves with the process.

The third edition of the tournament begins on March 12.