Australian states woo Indian T20 investors

Cricket Australia looking for an opportunity to cash in on T20 cricket like the IPL. -Photo by AFP

NEW DELHI: If cars and coal are deemed fine, then so should cricket.
New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria are making precisely this pitch as they woo deep-pocketed Indian investors to buy franchises in Australia’s Twenty20 league.
After Cricket Australia (CA) approved private ownership in its expanded Big Bash League in October, Cricket NSW and Cricket Victoria have turned their focus on the game’s financial hub and expect Indian industrialists to add cricket to their overseas investment portfolio.
“If Tata (Motors) can acquire Jaguar, if Indian companies can make heavy investment in mining in Australia, why not in Australian cricket?” asked Jamie Stewart, Managing Director of the Commune Sports and Entertainment, which is seeking Indian investment for NSW and Victoria.
“It’s going to be a win-win situation for the Indian companies. This is going to be a marriage of entrepreneurial spirit and cricket establishment,” the former Australian first class cricketer told Reuters in an interview.
“We have already met some 14-15 individuals and the response is pretty good. Most of them have an abiding passion for cricket. We are looking for investors with a passion for the game and the financial resources to meet the investment commitment.”