No more IPL matches in Chennai this season, CSK given 4 alternative venues

Tuesday's (April 10) thrilling match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was held despite massive protests in Chennai.

A day after an Indian Premier League (IPL) match was held in Chennai amid raging protests over the Cauvery water sharing issue, reports now say that no more matches would be held this season. Tuesday's (April 10) thrilling match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was held despite massive protests in Chennai.

The CSK has reportedly been given 4 alternative venues to choose from for their remaining home matches. Visakhapatnam is front-runner from among the four cities, the other three being Trivandrum, Pune and Rajkot.

Committee of Administrator (CoA) Vinod Rai confirmed that the prevailing situation has forced them to explore options.

"We are thinking on the lines of shifting the IPL matches from Chennai. There are four alternative venues that BCCI has kept ready. They are Visakhapatnam, Trivandrum, Pune and Rajkot. CSK can play their matches at these venues," Rai told PTI.

Massive police deployment, of over 4,000 personnel, and other security arrangements were made on Tuesday evening outside Chepauk stadium in Chennai to ensure that IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders was held, amid raging protests by Tamil groups. There were disturbances during the match too and a pair of shoes were thrown into the ground, and 6 Naam Tamizhar protestors were arrested.

News agency ANI has quoted sources and stated that the remaining CSK matches have been cancelled. It is being reported that the Chennai Police said it will not be able to guarantee security after massive protests over Cauvery water sharing dispute.

"We are likely to shift the Chennai matches out of the city. An official statement will be released about this soon," The News Minute quoted a top source in the BCCI as saying.

Yesterday, the teams had to enter the MA Chidambaram stadium through the back gate as the complex turned into a fortress with the deployment of hundreds of police personnel. A four-tier security ring was put in place in and around the MA Chidambaram stadium as the IPL authorities engaged hundreds of private security guards and volunteers amidst fears that protesters demanding the formation of the Cauvery Management Board might disrupt the match.

Political parties and outfits have been demanding that IPL matches not be held at this time, saying the state is witnessing widespread agitations on the vexed issue.

On February 16, the Supreme Court raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin.

The court had granted six weeks time to the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance with its 465-page judgement on the decades-old Cauvery dispute, which modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award of 2007. The court had also made it clear that it will not be extending the time for this on any ground. The six-week period ended on March 29.