The 2009 Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament will be staged abroad due to security concerns, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar announced yesterday.
Reuters reports that IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said four possible venues were being considered, and cricket authorities in South Africa and England confirmed they had been approached.
Reuters says the BCCI failed to get government clearance for security cover because the tournament clashes with India’s general election, to be held April 16 to May 13. The BCCI had revised the match dates three times in an attempt to get around the problem, but to no avail.
The IPL will now be played on its original dates - April 10 to May 24. Modi said it would return to India next season.
