Sunday, March 22, 2009

IPL to be played outside India

Cricket/India,
England and South Africa have emerged as the front-runners to host the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the BCCI decided, following days of inconclusive negotiations with the Indian home ministry and various state governments, to shift the tournament out of India. The venue and new schedule will be announced on Monday. Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, said the tournament had been relocated "because of the extraordinary situation existing this year." The 45-day tournament clashes with the forthcoming general elections in India and there had been concerns over security.
Gerald Majola, Cricket South Africa's chief executive, said South Africa was ready to host the tournament if needed. He expected to have "positive discussions" with Indian officials in this regard over phone on Monday. The ECB said it had received a request from the Indian board and the IPL and was examining the possibility of hosting the tournament. ECB chairman Giles Clarke told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme he was willing to help his Indian counterparts. "We normally talk to them a great deal and we would be delighted to help again," he said.

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