Cricket authorities in England and South Africa have expressed their willingness to stage the Indian Premier League tournament after it was confirmed today that the tournament would have to be played abroad.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced today they will be moving the tournament overseas after the home ministry refused to sanction central security forces for the event as it clashes with general elections in the country.
South Africa, England and the United Arab Emirates have now emerged as front-runners to host the event and England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke indicated his organisation's willingness to listen to anything the BCCI had to say.
‘We have a very good relationship with the BCCI if they need any help on matters,’ he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.
‘We normally talk to them a great deal and we would be delighted to help again.’
A decision on the venue for the Indian Premier League will be taken ‘in the next 24 hours’, according to Rajasthan Royals chief executive Manoj Badale.
Cricket South Africa confirmed the IPL had contacted them on the possibility of hosting the second edition of the tournament, which is due to start on 10 April and conclude on 24 May.
‘We received an official approach this morning to be one of several options they are considering to host the tournament outside India,’ said CSA chief executive officer Gerald Majola.
‘We do not know what the other options are and it is not for us to comment on that.
‘At this stage we are looking forward to holding discussions with IPL officials to discuss the proposal in detail.
‘It is a huge compliment to Cricket South Africa's organisational skills, facilities and infrastructure that we are being asked to host another major international event.’
ICC president David Morgan expressed his surprise at the news and felt it would be difficult for anyone to stage the event adequately at such short notice.
‘That is quite surprising news, they have had real difficulties with the elections on in India,’ he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.
‘I honestly don't know (where it will be staged) but the rumours here in Australia yesterday were that South Africa was a likely relocation destination but there has been nothing official.
‘It's the beginning of the season in England and Wales and there is a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played including the ICC World Twenty20.
‘I do think there will be great difficulties in relocating it.’
The BCCI decided at an emergency working committee meeting to hold the tournament outside India despite their ‘best efforts’ to avoid such a scenario.
‘At an emergency working committee meeting of the board, we considered all aspects of the matter,’ BCCI president Shashank Manohar said.
‘We are aware that the people of India love this event and have given us great support last year and are eager for this year's event. We made our best efforts to see that the event takes place in India.’
Rajasthan Royals chief executive Badale admitted the UAE was also a possible destination and hinted that the weather in England in early April could pose a problem.
After a meeting of the IPL's governing council, he told BBC Radio Five Live: ‘[South Africa and England] are definitely options. There are a couple of other options as well. Different people had different preferences.
‘[Dubai] has definitely been looked at and a couple of other options in the Middle East.
‘There were opinions expressed, lots of concerns expressed as well.
‘I'm in the minority in terms of people not based in India so clearly there are all sorts of considerations for people.
‘I think generally the organisers seem to have lined up some pretty viable options.’
On the subject of the English weather, Badale added: ‘There's a fair bit of rain and it's not the warmest of times of the year.
‘Clearly there are trade-offs and the weather will affect any tournament that takes place in April.’
Minister for sport Gerry Sutcliffe expressed his confidence that England could fill in at short notice to stage the event.
‘I'm sure it would be possible (to stage the IPL in England),’ he told Sportsweek. ‘We have picked up lots of experience recently of hosting world-class events and the ECB can do that.’
