IPL boss - English will come

Modi: Made claim

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Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff will play in next season's Indian Premier League tournament.

That is the assertion of IPL chairman Lalit Modi after only one top English player - Hampshire all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas - took part this time around.

His comments come after this year's successful inaugural Twenty20 event, which saw the Rajasthan Royals emerge victorious.

English players were missing as it clashes with the domestic season but Modi is confident next year's tournament will be a different story.

Certain

"As for the influx of English players I am certain that the DLF Indian Premier League will definitely see the likes of Flintoff and Pietersen playing next year," he said, adding the 2009 IPL season will be bigger and better than its first outing.

But he has ruled out any immediate prospect of the league expanding from its current eight franchises.

He said: "One can only expect much bigger and better things from the adrenalin packed Twenty20 format, which is fast paced and exciting and so appeals to a global audience.

Rigorously implement

"As for the DLF Indian Premier League, we have identified areas of improvement around spectator comfort and the in-stadia experience, which we will rigorously implement in the coming season.

"That being done we will also be sitting down with the franchises in October to discuss and evolve improvement areas for the next season."

He added: "There is already talk of franchises playing matches overseas and then there is the Champions League Twenty20, which we have just announced.

"As for expanding the number of franchises, that decision will be taken only after the initial three years.

"All I will say is that the sky is the limit and hopefully our franchisees will utilise these opportunities to their advantage."