Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi insists his organisation would not be to blame for Sri Lanka pulling the plug on their proposed tour to England next summer.

Sri Lanka appear ready to pull out of the two Tests and three one-day internationals, which are scheduled to precede next summer's Ashes series, because star players like Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara are contracted to the IPL.

But Modi denied any suggestion the IPL was to blame for the clash of dates early next summer. Speaking at the Global Sport Summit in London, Modi said: "The ICC's tours programme is fixed seven years in advance. Everybody commits to that and players commit to their countries on that basis.

He added: "There are gaps in the scheduling. Based on those gaps players and countries make other programmes to fill them. The Indian Premier League took into account the ICC's fixed programme and signed players on three-year contracts.

"The Sri Lanka board gave their players a no-objection certificate for three years to play in the Indian Premier League.

"Unfortunately the Zimbabwe tour to England was cancelled. The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) had an obligation to Sky television to bring another team in.

"It is always portrayed that the Indian Premier League is stopping the Test matches being played. There was never a scheduled Test in the first place.

"The Sri Lankan tour would breach the contract with the Indian Premier League."