By Amlan Chakraborty
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – An Indian Premier League match in Dharamsala has been shifted to Ahmedabad but the IPL’s foreign players are happy to play on despite the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, the secretary of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) told Reuters on Thursday.
Sunday’s match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians has been moved to Ahmedabad amid fears of an escalation in the conflict.
India struck multiple locations in Pakistan this week after a deadly April 22 attack targeting Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir that New Delhi blames on its Muslim neighbour.
Pakistan, which denies any link to the Kashmir violence, said on Thursday it shot down 25 drones from India overnight.
Flight operations have been suspended in several Indian airports including Dharamsala.
“With the airport in Dharamsala closed, it would have been a huge logistical challenge for everyone involved,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Reuters by phone.
“Purely due to logistical reasons, we’ve decided to move the match to Ahmedabad.”
Punjab take on Delhi Capitals in the north Indian city of Dharamsala on Thursday.
The IPL is the world’s richest Twenty20 tournament with celebrity owners and teams offering mouth-watering contracts to attract cricket’s best talents.
Despite the prevailing volatility, Saikia said the foreign players in the 10-team league had no apprehensions about continuing their participation.
“They are quite comfortable. Everyone in the league is comfortable,” Saikia said.
“The safety and security of every player — be it a local player or a foreigner — every match official and every fan is important for us.
“We have the clearance of every single authority.”
Bilateral cricket remains suspended between India and Pakistan, who play each other only in multi-team events and mostly at neutral venues. Pakistan players are not allowed in the IPL.
Across the border, a Pakistan Super League match in Rawalpindi was postponed hours before its scheduled start on Thursday.
More PSL matches were likely to be rescheduled, the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
“The PCB is reviewing the situation and will be rescheduling some of the PSL matches.”
“Further updates will be provided as matters are finalised.”
British media reports said some of the seven English cricketers playing in the PSL were considering whether to return home as hostilities escalate.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Toby Davis)
