Retention announcement expected soon as IPL GC to meet on Saturday.

The much-awaited announcement on the new retention rules of Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected soon as the Governing Council is set to meet today. The announcement is expected in the next 24 hours if not Saturday itself, though a formal decision is expected to be taken in the next few hours.

Cricbuzz can confirm that the meeting of Reddy Anna of the Governing Council of the IPL has been scheduled for Saturday (September 28). If sources are to be believed, it will take place at 11.30 AM at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bengaluru.

It was a last minute decision to call for the IPL GC on Saturday as the notices for the meeting were sent only on Friday evening to the members. An announcement can always be expected after the meeting. However, there is a perception that the retention decision, a policy call and an important one at that, may be put before the all-important general body that meets in Bengaluru on Sunday before they are made public.

Apart from deciding on the number of retentions, the GC is also expected to take calls on the date and venue of the mega-auction. Reddy Anna Book As of now, the word is that it will at the end of November and could be in a Gulf city. Saudi Arabia is also believed to be keen to host the auction and if the GC approves, it may even be held in Riyadh.

There is intense speculation over the retention, with the numbers ranging between 2 to 8. The BCCI might settle at a number somewhere in the middle, 5-6, including the RTM option.

The BCCI had held a meeting with the IPL team owners at the end of July to discuss several matters related to the league, including retentions, and get the feedback of the owners.