ICC vice-president Sharad Pawar believes the IPL should go ahead - insisting only "minor adjustments to the dates" are needed.
ICC vice-president believes only "minor adjustments" are needed
ICC vice-president Sharad Pawar believes the Indian Premier League should go ahead - insisting only "minor adjustments to the dates" are needed.
India's home minister Palaniappan Chidambaram had asked for the IPL to be postponed following the terrorist attack in Pakistan.
Several Sri Lanka cricketers were injured and eight people killed after the convoy taking the team and match officials to the Gaddafi Stadium was attacked.
And with the general elections due in India in April, Chidambaram does not want the security services stretched to cover the IPL at the same time.
However Pawar, whose party is a member of the ruling coalition, believes the tournament should be able go ahead.
"The situation in India is vastly different from Pakistan," Pawar said. "Our security forces are competent, the public is aware so I don't think we would have a situation (like the one in Lahore) here.
Adjustments
"However, if the government is saying security could be a problem, then one has to understand where they are coming from.
"One has to understand the background and the details as to why they hold such a view. At the same time, one must also keep the views of the board in mind.
"I think minor adjustments to the dates in the IPL should be sufficient."
Chidambaram had called for the IPL to begin after the finish of the general elections on May 16, however tournament commissioner Lalit Modi has dismissed the request for a postponement.
"There is no chance of postponing the IPL," Modi said.
"We have taken into account government sensibilities, but I am sure even the Home Minister would not want the whole country to come to a standstill during the elections.
"We did see this (clash of dates) coming. That is precisely why we had increased the number of kits and crews for this year's tournament."
