9 Dec 2015

Pune and Rajkot get IPL teams

6:17 am on 9 December 2015

The cities of Pune and Rajkot will host teams in cricket's Indian Premier League for the next two years.

New Rising Pune and Intex Rajkot replace the suspended Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, both of whom were found guilty in an illegal betting and match-fixing probe in July.

stephen fleming

Stephen Fleming, coach of the Chennai Super Kings Photo: AFP

The Royals and Super Kings are expected to return to the IPL in 2018.

Many of the world's best players compete in the competition, which began in 2008 and runs from April to May.

Their inclusion means the IPL remains an eight-team competition, with existing teams in Delhi, Mohali, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The 2016 edition begins on April 8th.

The Royals and Super Kings were suspended in July by a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court.

Royals co-owner Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan of the Super Kings were also banned from all cricket-related activities for life.

Chennai, who were coached by Stephen Fleming and playing roster included Brendon McCullum, have reached four finals, winning in 2010 and 2011. The Royals won the inaugural tournament in 2008.

Both of the new teams will take part in a player draft next week where they will get to pick five players each from a pool of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals players.

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