IPL set to embark on African safari again

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Five years after it created an unforgettable buzz in South Africa, the money-churning Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to return to Nelson Mandela's country once again. The inability of the government to provide security for the T20 event due to general elections has forced the officials to at least partly shift the tournament to South Africa. IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal told all eight franchises on Friday morning that the tournament will move to the African nation but return to the country on May 10 or 11 after the elections are over, confirming TOI's earlier report. "After the meeting with home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, one thing was certain that holding IPL during general elections was not feasible. Now, out of the alternative options that BCCI has for hosting tournament, South Africa looks the most promising. We have been told that final dates of IPL-7 will only be announced after we come to know the dates for general elections," Delhi Daredevils CEO Hemant Dua told TOI. Sources close to the development said that all the franchises are keen to host at least part of the tournament in India in order to minimise the loss of revenue. "We have been informed that the tournament in all likelihood will be back in the country around May 10 or 11. It will ensure that the business end of the tournament will be held in front of the teams' home crowds," one of the franchise owners said. Asked whether the later stages of the IPL could be staged in the country, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel was reported as saying, "100 per cent, they can be held". As the present scenario goes, IPL-7 is now most likely to be played in SA between April and May. The exact schedule will be announced at the end of this month. "All franchises are okay with the idea of shifting the IPL to SA. They have a good idea how popular it turned out to be when it was hosted there the last time," a source informed. The window kept aside for IPL this year is also huge - from April 9 to June 3 - a total of 55 days whereas with only eight teams this year, the event needs a maximum window of just around 40 days to be completed. For Cricket South Africa, IPL shifting to their shores should come as a huge shot in the arm considering the revenue potential it brings along. The possibility of BCCI having dangled the IPL carrot to CSA in return for their support for the ICC revamp also cannot be ruled out. However, sources said that it was only after the Union ministry's refusal to grant security that the Indian cricket board decided to take the step. The IPL governing council as well as the BCCI working committee is supposed to meet in Bhubaneswar on February 28 where a final decision on the issue will be made. Even though Daredevils' chief coach Gary Kirsten and his assistant Eric Simons are both from South Africans, the franchise isn't happy with this move out of the country. "Daredevils stand to lose about 40 per cent in revenue from ticketing as well as sponsorship loss. Although the team is well suited for SA, we would have preferred to have the entire event in the country," Dua said. Champs wanted opening match at home Defending champions of the IPL, Mumbai Indians, had won the right to host the opening match of this year's edition. And it is understood that Mumbai tried their best to convince the IPL governing council as well as various team owners that at least the opening match should be held in the country. "Mumbai had suggested that the opening match of IPL-7 could be held in the country before taking it abroad. But I think it was logistically not possible and the proposal was turned down," a franchise official said.