IPL assumes direct charge of security

Indian Premier League organizers have vowed to take direct responsibility for all security arrangements during the Twenty20 tournament in the wake of a terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan that has heightened concerns of players traveling to the subcontinent.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi said the league's governing council would centralize security, relieving the eight franchises of the responsibility in their respective cities.

"Security is paramount. We'll be responsible for all security," Modi said Tuesday. "Our security budget has increased (by) 10 this year. From the moment foreign players land in India until they leave, we'll take over their security."

The IPL will be played from April 10-May 24 across India, with some amendments to the match schedule to avoid clashes of dates with the national elections and to avoid over-stretching security forces.

Players and officials have openly expressed reservations about playing in the subcontinent after last week's terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Pakistan, but Modi said that "not a single player, directly or indirectly, has contacted the IPL expressing his security apprehensions."

The Lahore attacks, however, played a major role in forcing IPL organizers to undertake a detailed assessment of the security arrangements.

Seven Sri Lankan Test players, an assistant coach and a match officials were among those injured in the deadly ambush by gunmen near a cricket arena which killed six police and a driver in the convoy taking players and officials to the match.

"There will be daily movement of teams requiring a lot of coordination. We have a vigorous plan for each stadium," Modi said. "We're looking at what we missed out or did not do last year.

"All security measures have been stepped up, it's all going to be a uniform exercise, besides coordination with local police at all cities staging matches."

Modi said the security template the organizers were working on originated from exercises undertaken following the Mumbai terror attacks last year which left 164 dead and forced the cancellation of the first Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

"For the Chennai Test match against England, these rigorous plans were executed and shared with the security agencies," he said.

Modi said the BCCI and IPL organizers had always talked to national cricket boards in all countries.

"We will again discuss the event and share details with the national cricket boards," he said.

The IPL's governing council was last week granted approval to stage the tournament, despite it clashing with India's general elections, provided they could adjust the itinerary and not schedule any match during polling in any city or state. There will be no matches held on the day votes are counted across the country.

Modi said a revised schedule would be released soon.

"We have a new schedule ready. It will be released as soon as the police authorities in all states give their written consent," Modi said.

"Three states have already sent in their consent to the revised schedule. I'm expecting the other five states also to approve our plans in a day or two," Modi said.

He said two venues - Ahmadabad and Vishakhapatnam - had been added to the eight cities that staged IPL matches in the inaugural event last year, while the northern town of Dharmsala may also stage some games.

"Some matches are being moved from the home base of teams to adjust the blackout dates due to elections," said Modi.