IPL Governing Council Chairman Rajeev Shukla contemplating on moving IPL outside India next year
The Indian Premier League Chairman of the Governing Council Rajeev Shukla has now threatened to pull the lucrative league out of the country from next season onwards as he feels that some people are trying to “destroy” the brand of the IPL.
Earlier, Board for Control of Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur also dropped a hint that the next season of the IPL might be played outside India. He said that The IPL governing council would be looking at the venues in India and abroad and they would also have to check the availability of the venues and prevailing conditions.
The controversy regarding the IPL snowballed this season when the Bombay High Court gave its order to shift 13 IPL matches out of Maharashtra due to severe drought conditions in the state. Franchises like the Mumbai Indians, Rising Pune Supergiants, and Kings XI Punjab have been affected the most and they will now have to play their home matches in different states.
Some people are trying to destroy the brand
Shukla questioned the court’s order and said,”"Several matches took place in Maharashtra during T20 World Cup and the same amount of water was being used (for IPL matches). However, nobody questioned the use of water at that time and it is only during IPL the issue has been raised."
He also said, “In the last one decade, IPL has emerged as a global brand and people in 182 countries see the games. However, some people are trying to destroy it.” Shukla also pointed out,” It is very difficult to build a brand, but it is very easy to destroy it; and if such things keep happening, we will have to think of shifting the game out of the country,”
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He also supported the Mumbai Cricket Association’s decision to move the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order of shifting of IPL matches outside Maharashtra in view of the prevailing drought in the state. According to the Governing Council Chairman,both Maharashtra Cricket Association and MCA are the affected bodies and they have all the right to go to the apex court against shifting of IPL matches.
The IPL has been played outside India twice in 2009 and 2014 due to general elections in the country. In 2009, the league was shifted to South Africa and in 2014, the first half of the league was played in the United Arab Emirates.
Recently Kings XI Punjab co-owner and renowned Bollywood actress Preity Zinta too said that the controversies are unfair to the IPL and it has become some sort of a “whipping boy”.
So, given by the sentiments, the league might just see a new destination in the next year itself.