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Bullish Indian Premier League supremo Lalit Modi has declared this year’s tournament will not miss overseas players should they elect to avoid the tournament due to security threats targeted at foreign nationals.
As Shane Warne denied a rift between Cricket Australia-contracted players and senior freelancers like himself and Adam Gilchrist over the threat emanating from the Al-Qaeda-linked 313 Brigade, Modi mounted a PR offensive.
If international players choose to stay at home, as seems quite possible given the unfavourable security report by consultant Reg Dickason that was tabled to player unions in England, Australia and South Africa, Modi said they would not be missed.
“The heavens aren’t going to fall if that happens. This is an Indian tournament; we have the key Indian players and only a few international players,” Modi told the BBC.
“We have no worries at all. You have to understand that the market for us is India.
“The tournament is a huge success – we have a huge credibility, we have the top 200 players in the world.
“It’s not only dependent on foreign players, although they are part of it.”
Player concerns are to be relayed to the IPL via the Federation of International Cricketers Associations, though Indian administrators will have to reverse years of choosing not to recognise player unions if they are to respond.
Modi stated the event would be held in India, come what may.
“We are going to have the tournament in India. I can’t see any reason why we should move it at this point in time. The media is reacting to every fringe group saying security is a problem,” Modi said.
“Nobody in the world can safeguard the safety of the players in any tournament. All we have to do is ensure we are putting on the best security.
“Safety is paramount to us and we are working with the national and state governments to ensure we have good security in place.”
Warne said there was no conflict between he and the centrally-contracted Australian players at Tuesday’s meeting to discuss Dickason’s report with Australian Cricket Association chief executive Paul Marsh.
However it is clear Warne’s opinion on IPL security is more favourable than that presented in the report.
“I think the development overnight is that the Indian government is going to get behind Nicholls Steyn, the IPL security people, (and) ramp up security for the players,” Warne said in Sydney.
“That will give the players comfort, and that was the main aim of the players’ association.
“I think it’s going to work pretty well.”
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