IPL SHIFTED OUT OF HYDERABAD
February 13th, 2010 by | Posted in News, Sports Comments Off on IPL SHIFTED OUT OF HYDERABAD
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The Indian Premier League on Saturday decided to move all of Deccan Chargers’ home games from Hyderabad and Vizag, home ground of the Deccan Chargers, due to political unrest over the Telangana region to Mumbai because of security fears due to the agitation.
Deccan Chargers, the defending champions of IPL 2 will not be playing on the home ground, which they are very keen to do. If they play on the home-turf, they will have the moral support of the crowd as well as it will be a crowd-puller and money-spinner for their State.
The Andhra Pradesh capital was to host five matches, excluding the tournament opener on March 12, but the organizers have decided to move out.
Lalit Modi, the IPL Commissioner announced the change in venue. Mumbai’s Patil Stadium will host tournament opener between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders on March 12.
Nagpur will host the next three matches, scheduled for March 19, 21 and 28. The remaining matches scheduled for April 5, 10 and 21 will be played at Patil Stadium.
The move to shift matches out of Hyderabad comes despite assurances of foolproof security by the state government.
Hyderabad Cricket Association Chief, G.Vinod, expressed his disappointment over the change in venues.
“It’s painful that Hyderabad will not host a match. It is unfortunate that they have moved the matches out in spite of our several requests,” he said.
State’s sports minister K Venkat Reddy, who had called on Deccan to pull out of the tournament if any of their home games were shifted out. Reddy has also written a letter to the team saying that the agitation for a separate Telangana state would not endanger their security.
“It is a wrong decision. It is an insult to the State. We are once again requesting the matches to be moved back to Hyderabad and Vizag,” Reddy said.
The Telangana agitation has already robbed the state of a lot of cricket action. An India-Sri Lanka ODI last year was shifted out of Visakhapatnam due to the disturbing security situation.
The IPL last month decided to move the opening ceremony and the inaugural match between local franchise Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders, scheduled to be played here March 12, to Mumbai in view of the unrest for a separate state of Telangana.
The continuing protests over demand for statehood to Telangana, which comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad, have also put a question mark on four other matches scheduled here.
The IPL is a huge tournament and any last minute hiccups cannot be left to chances. Lalit Modi, the IPL Chairman is a thorough-bred professional so far as Organising abilities are concerned. The IPL season – two, had to be shifted out of the country to South Africa as the respective State Governments were unable to provide the requisite security cover and the black-cat commandoes due to the elections in the Country.
What about the situation which prevailed in Mumbai during the release of MNIK?
What about Shiv sena’s threat to target the Austrailian players? Do you think that place is safe?
In Telangana, irrespective of whatever the regional issue, everyone supports IPL Matches and is willing to provide adequate security. But in Mumbai Shiv Sena gave a open statement targetting IPL almost a month ago. One day some-one has to wave the iron-wand to ensure that we are able to enjoy the tournaments of such repute without having to with-stand some sort of bullying from any quarter, whatsoever.
Ravi Matah
Tags: deccan chargers, Hyderabad, IPL Matches, Lalit Modi, Patil Stadium Mumbai, Telengana
