Spin legend Shane Warne says sponsorship restrictions stopping Cricket Australia from releasing its star players for the Indian Premier League do not have any grounds.
Throwing his weight behind the Board of Control for Cricket in India's lucrative Twenty20 venture, Warne said the IPL is an "exciting and wonderful" opportunity for the game and should be embraced, keeping aside the conflicting issues that have cropped up before the start of the inaugural edition.
"It's a very exciting time for the sport and to market the brand. We should all be embracing the IPL rather than trying to fight it.
"From the international boards' point of view and the bosses around the world at county clubs and in domestic competitions, I understand there may be issues about players missing for a certain time or a clash of sponsors.
"But here in Australia, each state has cricket sponsors that differ from our national ones, so I don't buy that argument. This issue can be overcome," Warne said in his column in the Daily Telegraph.
Warne said the IPL should be included in the international schedule and urged the administrators to find a solution to the possible conflict with the Future Tours Programme to facilitate the running of the Twenty20 League.
"International cricket for your country must be the No 1 priority, but let's throw the common sense hat on and say the IPL is not going anywhere and it's a wonderful opportunity for players, spectators and all the fans.
"Let's make it part of the international schedule and the ICC and the boards can create a new Future Tours Programme."
