BCCI to invest $347 million on domestic facilities

The Indian board (BCCI) has decided to invest US $347million to improve domestic facilities over the next year. Lalit Modi, the BCCI vice-president, confirmed that the amount will be channelled to every state association and that infrastructure would be upgraded in all stadiums in the country.

"In the next one year you would see a majority of BCCI stadiums having (flood) lights to play day-night cricket," Modi told reporters. "I don't think a single stadium would be left which would not have facilities or infrastructure of international quality. Until now, domestic associations depended on revenue from matches played in their jurisdictions to fund development programmes. But because there are so many venues in the country of over 1 billion people, matches at one place were few and far between, resulting in low revenues. Now that BCCI is earning large amounts of money, the next big step would be to put money in our own stadiums."

The BCCI, one of the richest sporting associations in the world, has funded the ongoing Malaysia tri-series, as part of their 'offshore investments', and spent close to $1 million on a temporary floodlight system at the Kinrara Oval.

Modi was impressed by the job done in Malaysia and said the game should be spread in countries and venues outside the traditional ones. "The objective of the BCCI, and of all members of the ICC, is to promote cricket all over the world and to enhance the level of facilities that are available for international-caliber cricket," he said. "We have to spread the game across the world. It is important for us not only to play in India but to take it to fan bases around the world."

India will host Champions Trophy next month and co-host the 2011 World Cup with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.