English players to meet PCA to decide on IPL participation

London:

Worried over the security arrangements for the third IPL, England cricketers have decided to consult Professional Cricketers Association before deciding to tour India for the Twenty20 tournament.

"Nine English players are contracted to IPL franchises and, with the exception of Andrew Flintoff who is injured, they will be meeting advisers from the Professional Cricketers Association over the next fortnight before deciding whether it is safe to go to India," a daily reported.

Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Graham Napier, Eoin Morgan and Michael Lumb are the other eight English players contracted to play in IPL III.

According to the report, even Australian players are rethinking their decision to play in the IPL considering the report submitted by their security consultant.

"The success of third Indian Premier League is in serious doubt because of growing threat of a boycott by two dozen Australian cricketers, and others from southern hemisphere, on security grounds," the report said.

"A private security firm used by the Australian players has estimated the level of risk to cricketers in India to be the same now as it was in the month after the Mumbai attacks.

"Almost all overseas players with contract for third IPL have written to franchise-owners asking for details of security arrangements. But in tune with his authoritarian style, IPL's chief commissioner Lalit Modi but has released no details," the report added.