New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) The Kochi franchise will stay in the Indian Premier League this season, the Board of Control or Cricket in India (BCCI) decided Sunday.

A top BCCI official confirmed to IANS that the decision in favour of Kochi was taken at the governing council meeting.

Earlier, the governing council had deferred its decision on the franchisee for the third time, after the investors reached a last-minute agreement on the shareholding pattern.