IPL opener shifted to Mumbai due to Telangana unrest

Mumbai:

The Indian Premier League's opening match was on Friday shifted from Hyderabad to Mumbai owing to the political unrest in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue.

"It remains a Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders match but instead of Hyderabad, it would be held in Mumbai.

The opening game, the opening ceremony and the opening gala dinner (on March 11) are very important for us. People from all over the world are coming and we are going to make sure that everything is in order. We don't want to take any chances," Modi told reporters here.

"There are no changes to other matches, everything looks fine. We have worked it out with franchises and the teams and decided that match would be held in Mumbai," he added.

The IPL opener is scheduled on March 12.

Meanwhile, Modi said Delhi would remain a venue for the cash-awash Twenty20 event despite the one-year ban on it after the ground's pitch was deemed "unfit" by the ICC on Thursday.

Modi said despite the international ban on Kotla, where an India-Sri Lanka ODI had to be abandoned due to the pitch's dangerous bounce, the ground will host IPL matches.

"Delhi remains a venue for IPL. All the preparations are being made. Practice games will start in the first week of February and we will ensure that the pitch is in right condition to play matches," Modi said.

Modi said the auction for two new teams would be held next month.

"We are hoping that by the first week of February, we will have two new teams auctioned," he said.