* India's IPL to be played abroad this year
* League switch due to security fears in India
* South Africa confirms offer to host event
* England among three other hosting options
(adds details, reaction)
By Sanjay Rajan
MUMBAI, March 22 - The Indian cricket board will
stage the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament abroad
this year due to security issues, the country's cricket chief
said on Sunday.
"Because the government... are not in a position to provide
security, we were forced to take the decision to move the event
outside of India," Indian cricket board (BCCI) president
Shashank Manohar told a news conference.
"We're having discussions with other boards who have shown
their willingness," he added.
The BCCI had failed to get government clearance for security
cover despite revising the match dates three times because the
tournament clashes with the country's general election, to be
held between April 16 and May 13.
The IPL will be played on its original dates, between April
10 and May 24, and is scheduled to return to India next season,
league commissioner Lalit Modi said.
Modi also told Sky Sports News that four possible venues,
including England, were being considered to host the tournament.
"Hopefully I will have everything wrapped up in the next 24
hours," he added.
The South African cricket board confirmed it had received an
official request from the BCCI to be a possible host.
"We received an official approach this morning to be one of
several options they are considering to host the tournament
outside India," Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald
Majola said in a statement.
South Africa will also stage the Champions Trophy one-day
competition beginning in September.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke
told BBC Radio Five Live that England would be ready to host the
tournament if asked.
"We've got a very close and friendly relationship with the
BCCI and ... we'd be delighted to help if we can," he said.
International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan
said the decision to move a domestic tournament abroad was
"surprising".
"I have heard rumours it might be staged in South Africa but
that is quite surprising news," Morgan told Five Live in a
telephone interview from Australia. "They have real difficulties
with the elections going on in India but I've heard nothing
officially from the BCCI or the IPL."
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Indian officials said the huge financial implications and a
tight international calendar had forced their hand. The World
Twenty20 begins in England in early June.
"Under the given circumstances, there is no other period for
the conduct of IPL matches," the BCCI said in a statement and
apologised to the cricket-crazy Indian fans for not being in a
position to host the event at home this year.
"There are many stakeholders apart from the BCCI, the
players, the franchise owners, media partners, team sponsors,
venues sponsors, apart from the cricket loving public at large.
"The experience of the first IPL season has shown that apart
from providing employment to a large number of people at the
various venues, IPL has also contributed close to one billion
rupees ($20 million) to the exchequer."
Security concerns have dominated the build-up to the
lucrative eight-team event, involving many big-name
international players, after an attack on the Sri Lankan team
bus in the Pakistani city of Lahore earlier this month.
The BCCI failed to secure approval from the government, who
said it would be difficult to spare security forces as they
would be deployed for the polls.
The country remains tense after bomb blasts killed 166
people in the financial hub of Mumbai last November.
(Writing by N.Ananthanarayanan; additional reporting by Mike
Collett, Editing by Alastair Himmer and Justin Palmer)