Strategic break periods spelt out in IPL

The Indian Premier League has fixed a five-minute period, split into two equal halves, for the mandatory strategic time-outs during the third edition of the Twenty20 event starting March 12.

"The batting team would have to take the 2 and a half minute time-out mandatory between the sixth and eighth overs while the fielding side would have to take the time-out between the 11th and 16th overs," IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi said on Thursday.

Modi said the decision to specify the overs for taking the mandatory stoppages, lasting 2.5 minutes each, had been arrived at after having a look at the time-outs in other games like basketball and American football (NFL).

"We have found out that these are the times the batting and fielding teams normally rearrange their strategies. The players will not leave the field of play but would confer in the middle," he said.

Modi said the batting side can opt for time-outs after the fifth, sixth or seventh over while the bowling team can do so after the end of the 10th to 15th overs.

"We have a new partner for strategic time-outs, Maxx Mobile, and the deal is for three years from season three commencing on March 12," Modi announced, adding "they will also be our official playoff partner", without specifying the financial details.

IPL can be seen 'live' on free-to-air TV in UK: Modi

The third season of the Indian Premier League, to be held from March 12 to April 25, can be seen by cricket fans in the United Kingdom on ITV, the Twenty20 League's commissioner Lalit Modi announced. 

"The UK market has traditionally been very difficult to crack and Sky TV has always been difficult to deal with and that's why this deal with ITV, which is the oldest commercial broadcaster in the UK, is very huge for us," said Modi at a media conference.

"This is the first deal with a free-to-air broadcaster outside India. It's an extremely important deal for us. ITV, which has twenty million subscribers, has not broadcast cricket for a long time," the IPL chief said. 

"The deal at present is only for the 2010 season," he added.