Water concerns forces BCCI to shift matches from Nagpur & Pune

THE BCCI plans to shift a few IPL games to venues outside the state of Maharashtra to end the ongoing controversy hovering around the holding of IPL matches in drought-hit region. As reported by India Today, five games to be played in Pune and Nagpur are expected to be moved to the other venues outside the state. 

Sources reported that the Indian Cricket Board has already put Kanpur, Ranchi, Indore venues on stand-by as alternative venues while the Kings XI Punjab game is scheduled to be held at the Mohali stadium. The Punjab franchise team told the court that it is ready to shift the matches from Nagpur to Mohali.

MCA was earlier supposed to hold 20 matches in the state, with 9 and 8 matches slotted to be held at Mumbai and Pune venues and 3 matches at the Nagpur venue.

Last week, Wankhede successfully held the IPL season 9 opener on Bombay High Court’s permission. The High Court had said that the PIL filed against the use of water for the maintenance of the pitches, was filed too late for the organisers to make a change in venue with the necessary arrangements. 

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has informed the High Court that,The Royal Western India Turf (RWITC) has agreed to provide 7 to 8 tankers of water which they require for the hydration of the pitch. MCA has told the court that this is the only water that will be used for the stadium. MCA has written to the RWITC regarding treatment of sewage water over the questioning of the High Court after the last hearing.