No Sri Lankan players in Chennai IPL matches after Jayalalithaa's protests

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lankan cricketer Nuwan Kulasekara (R) of Chennai Super Kings

According to reports, IPL governing council today decided to keep Sri Lankan players out of Chennai for the upcoming edition of IPL which begins from Wednesday, 3rd April 2013.

Events are happening thick and fast as earlier, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa had written a letter to the Prime Minister, making her intentions very clear that the eight Sri Lankan players, who are set to feature in this year’s IPL, will not be allowed to play the matches held at M. A. Chidambaram stadium, the home ground of the Chennai Super Kings.

Citing the Political reason about the agitations in the state over the Sri Lanka issue, she has warned that Sri Lankan players, umpires or officials visiting the state is not at all recommended. She wrote to PM, “In such a hostile and tense environment, we apprehend that the participation of Sri Lankan players in the IPL tournament, with many games to be played in Chennai, will aggravate an already surcharged atmosphere and further offend the sentiments of the people.”

Meanwhile the franchisees have reportedly met with the BCCI insisting they drop Chennai as a venue for the IPL.

But with BCCI President N. Srinivasan also doubling up as the owner of the Chennai team, the dropping of Chennai as a venue altogether was an unlikely decision.

In the light of all this, the IPL governing council, which is the final authority to take decision, have decided to bar Sri Lankans from playing at Chennai instead of dropping Chennai as venue.

More to follow…