Home minister says won’t be able to provide security due to general elections; BCCI to search for other venues
This season’s Indian Premier league is likely to be shifted out of India after the government on Friday made it clear that it would not be able to provide adequate security to the cash-rich T20 tournament as its dates clash with general elections. “Due to general elections, it will be difficult to provide adequate security to IPl matches,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters here.
Sources said the Home Ministry has conveyed to the BCCI that it would be able to provide adequate security personnel only after the general elections which are expected to be over by mid-May. IPl matches are likely be held between April 9 and June 3. The BCCI’s Working Committee will meet on February 28 in Bhubaneswar where a final decision on the IPl venue is expected to be taken.
The Board Secretary Sanjay Patel had earlier indicated that the first part of the IPl may be held in South Africa while the later stage matches are played in Indian venues after the general elections are over, possibly by mid May. Patel had said that the Board also had a few other options available but did not disclose them. More than 1.20 lakh central paramilitary force personnel, in addition to state police forces, are expected to be deployed for the multi-phased lok Sabha polls which are likely to be held in April-May.
The sources said that the Home Ministry has started preparing for the massive exercise of mobilising 1.2 lakh personnel from different paramilitary forces to be deployed for poll duties.
Talks are on with to other Boards: Biswal
With the government making it clear that it will not be able to provide security for IPl 7, the BCCI has started talking to cricket boards of other countries for possible venues, tournament chairman Ranjib Biswal said.
“The (central) government had expressed its inability to provide adequate security for IPl 7 in view of the upcoming general elections. So we have started talking to different countries to hold the tournament,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Board’s working committee meeting in Bhubaneswar on February 28 would discuss the staging of the league. “Yes, IPl will be discussed at the meeting. Also the new changes in ICC (structure),” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in Mumbai on Friday.
Asked whether the later stages of the IPl, after the conclusion of the general elections, could be staged in the country, Patel said, “100 per cent, they can be held”.
Asked if South Africa is a likely venue, he said, “South Africa is a favoured venue to host the matches but we will have to decide.” Biswal said in any case the IPl will have to get all government clearances before holding the tournament in another country. “There is not going to be any IPl without government clearance. We will get all the clearances before the tournament,” he said.
On the question of IPl spot-fixing case pending at the Supreme Court, Biswal said, “The Supreme Court had given the green signal for the players’ auction. So we went ahead for IPl 7. The apex court will take a call on the (spot-fixing) case. “But I can tell you, IPl 7 will be grander, cleaner and controversy free.”
Patel denies BCCI got in touch with Flower
Mumbai: The Cricket Board on Friday rubbished a report that it had held discussions with former England coach Andy Flower about taking over as the chief coach of the Indian team in place of incumbent Duncan Fletcher following the country’s dismal show in South Africa and New Zealand.
“That’s rubbish. I am the secretary of the Board and no such discussions (with Flower) have taken place,” Patel said. The report in a national daily quoting a highly-placed source in the BCCI said that a Board official had held a round of talks with former Zimbabwe skipper Flower.
“Nothing has been finalised as these are preliminary talks with the Board likely to invite applications from suitable candidates for the post next month. Routine process would be followed before handing the responsibilities to the new coach. But so far, Flower has been contacted and let’s see who wins the race,” the source had said, according to the report.
Patel said he would like to know which Board official had said this to the newspaper. Patel, however, said the Board would talk to India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Fletcher, in all probability after the ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, over the recent poor display of the squad in South Africa and New Zealand where the team lost ODIs as well as Test rubbers.
“Yes, we will be talking to them. This is a normal procedure that we adopt after every tour. In all probability that would happen only after the T20 World Cup,” informed Patel.