IPL working on schedule to avoid clash with election dates: Modi

Stating that the IPL was working on the schedule to ensure that there was no clash of IPL matches with the election dates, IPL chairman Lalit Modi said the IPL would work with the state and local authorities to ensure the smooth conduct of the April 10-May 24 Twenty20 event.

The Indian Premier League was fully aware of the importance of the coming Lok Sabha elections and would not hold IPL games up to two days prior to the polling dates across the match venues, IPL chairman Lalit Modi said today.

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“The IPL is fully congnizant of the importance of general elections in a country such as ours. We will go a step further to ensure that there will be no games 24 to 48 hours prior to the polling dates across the nine match venues in the country”, Modi said in a statement.

Stating that the IPL was working on the schedule to ensure that there was no clash of IPL matches with the election dates, Modi said the IPL would work with the state and local authorities to ensure the smooth conduct of the April 10-May 24 Twenty20 event.

“We will announce the new reworked schedule in the next 24 hours”, he added.

Meanwhile, the home ministry officials have begun the meeting with IPL officials to review the schedule for the second edition of the Twenty20 league.

The Government's move comes after six Sri Lankan cricketers -- captain Mahela Jayawaredene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas -- were injured when the team bus came under heavy attack from gunmen en route to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the ongoing second Test match. Six escorting policemen were killed in the attack that took place near the Liberty Market crossing.