SA ‘won’t be hosting IPL’

BCCI president Narayanaswami Srinivasan said a final decision on IPL venues would be taken after election dates had been announced.

BCCI president Narayanaswami Srinivasan said a final decision on IPL venues would be taken after election dates had been announced.

Published Mar 5, 2014

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Johannesburg – South Africa has been ruled out as an overseas venue for the Indian Premier League (IPL), the website ndtvsports reported on Wednesday.

It said either the United Arab Emirates or Bangladesh were in the fray to host the tournament, which coincides with India's general elections.

“Now that the elections dates have been finalised, we are working towards hosting the bulk of the matches in India,” IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal told reporters after an IPL council meeting on Wednesday.

“Since it is the Indian Premier League we need to accommodate as many matches in India.

“Today, we discussed about foreign venues, but we haven't decided yet as we need a couple of days more to finalise the offshore venue.”

Last week, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Narayanaswami Srinivasan said a final decision on IPL venues would be taken after election dates had been announced.

South Africa, the UAE and Bangladesh were the main contenders.

On Wednesday, India's election commission announced polls would be held in nine phases until May 12, with 814 million people set to cast their votes. A result was due on May 16.

According to Cricket SA's PR and communications manager Altaaf Kazi, CSA had not yet received an update on the council's decision.

“The BCCI have not communicated anything to us,” Kazi said in Cape Town on Wednesday.

South Africa hosted the IPL in 2009, but the “lack of turnouts at the stadium” was a major concern, a member who attended the last week’s IPL committee meeting was quoted as saying.

It was the 2009 event which led to the bonus scandal at CSA and the eventual ousting of CEO Gerald Majola in 2012.

Majola was sacked for the non-disclosure of bonuses from the IPL and ICC Champions' League, both hosted by South Africa in the same year. – Sapa

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