Chennai Super Kings, Royals unlikely to be suspended

The cricket board's emergency working committee will be meeting in Delhi on Sunday to discuss Raj Kundra, but it seems that the two embattled Twenty20 league teams - Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals - will not be immediately suspended. Khurram Habib reports. Present imperfect, future tense

The cricket board's emergency working committee will be meeting in Delhi on Sunday to discuss Raj Kundra, but it seems that the two embattled Twenty20 league teams - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) - will not be immediately suspended.

A Board source said, "There are a couple of things at stake if they ban the teams. One is that there is Champions League in September where CSK and RR will participate. Also, a major part of the money from central revenue pool is yet to be distributed."

"The teams are likely to escape suspension as of now with the issue to be dealt with by the probe panel," the official added.

A decision is also expected on Kundra and even though Delhi Police say Kundra admitted to betting, it is possible that it may not be proved. "At the most they can suspend him but the team will survive," the official said.

There are only a handful of officials who want both teams to be suspended. One of them is Punjab Cricket Association president, Indrajit Singh Bindra, a former board chief as well.

"Both CSK and RR should be suspended pending an independent and fair probe, not a fixed probe," he commented on his Twitter account.

His wish however may not be granted. "They'll make fresh rules for franchises, most of which have already been decided, and that would be it. Even in the last meeting, no one spoke on the issue of Srinivasan. This time too there will be only 2-3 people who will speak," said the source.